Anolis utilensis
CR

Anolis utilensis

Declining

Photo: Photo: (c) Alex Rebelo, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Alex Rebelo

Overview

Anolis utilensis, the Utila anole or mangrove anole, is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is found in Honduras.

Anolis utilensis faces severe threats from habitat destruction on Utila Island, where coastal development and tourism infrastructure have eliminated much of its native forest habitat. The species' extremely restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to hurricanes and tropical storms that can devastate the entire population. Introduced predators and competitors, along with ongoing deforestation for agriculture and construction, continue to fragment the remaining suitable habitat.

Threat summary

Habitat

This critically endangered anole is endemic to Utila Island in the Bay Islands of Honduras, where it inhabits remaining patches of tropical dry forest and forest edges. The species requires native vegetation with adequate canopy cover and is typically found in areas with dense understory growth.

Forest - Subtropical/tropical mangrove vegetation· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionEx-situ conservationAwareness & communicationsLegislation

Other threatened species in ANOLIDAE

EN

Roatan Anole

Anolis roatanensis

Unknown
EN

Cabo Cruz Pallid Anole

Anolis ruibali

Unknown
CR

Anolis kreutzi

Declining
EN

Anolis nasofrontalis

Unknown

Threatened in Honduras

EN

Baird's Tapir

Tapirus bairdii

Declining
Coryphopterus eidolonVU

Coryphopterus eidolon

Unknown
VU

Coryphopterus lipernes

Unknown
VU

Elacatinus prochilos

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Anolis utilensis classified as Critically Endangered?
Anolis utilensis is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Anolis utilensis faces severe threats from habitat destruction on Utila Island, where coastal development and tourism infrastructure have eliminated much of its native forest habitat. The species' extremely restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to hurricanes and tropical storms that can devastate the entire population. Introduced predators and competitors, along with ongoing deforestation for agriculture and construction, continue to fragment the remaining suitable habitat.
Where does Anolis utilensis live?
Anolis utilensis occurs in Honduras. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Anolis utilensis?
The main threats to Anolis utilensis are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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