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LOCAL Wednesday 10 april 2024

Sun catchers: The different lizards in Aruba

ORANJESTAD – Colorful or camou- that international trade is regulated long as you are VERY gentle. plants, such as flowers, nectar, leaves
flaged, you’re bound to encounter a through the CITES permit system. In the Never put pressure on its tail because and fruits, and occasionally enjoy
variety of lizards basking in the sun or past, Arubans used to eat a popular it will surely drop as a measure to try some insects. They are selective in
scurrying on their way in our island. Yuwana soup, as it was believed to to distract the predator, and they which plants they eat, because of
From the charming, friendly iguanas give strength and help restore health are different from other lizards be- the toxins present in many available
to the good-luck gecko Pega-Pega, – probably due to the protein boost cause they’re long-lived, talkative, plants species. The Kododo help take
you’re bound to meet a few of these it delivered. However, it is now illegal lack eyelids, and their small scales care of Aruba’s vegetation by playing
special residents during your visit. to catch, kill, buy or sell Yuwanas in are situated next to each other like a significant role in the dispersal of
Aruba, and this includes eating them! cobblestones rather than overlapping seeds for certain plants: when they
Aruba, as a desert island, is home as is the case in most other lizards. eat fruit, they excrete the seeds in
to an incredible variety of unique Turnip-tailed gecko diverse locations, contributing to the
and colorful species. Among them Turnip-tailed Geckos are insectivorous reproduction cycle of our local plants.
we can find different lizards, most of and feed on cockroaches, grass-
which have South American origins. hoppers, beetles, flies, mosquitoes, Striped anole
But there are a few exceptions. and spiders, which makes them the
best pest control to have at home!
Iguanas They spend their days concealed
The turnip-tailed gecko is known lo- in dark tree grooves and cavities,
cally as the Pega-Pega, meaning in narrow crevices in the walls, or
sticky-sticky, due to the way it sticks behind paintings, which provide the
to walls using the suction in its little perfect shelter for them. Pega pega
fingers. They are found inside houses, is a gecko endemic to our island, The striped anole (Anolis lineatus)
and are mostly a nocturnal animal. but in time, some 4–5 intrusive gecko that lives in Aruba is known locally
species have been observed, some as Waltaka or Toteki. This is a species
According to Etnia Nativa, the local of which do not cease to amaze us of lizard in the family Dactyloidae,
Pega Pega is immediately recogniz- with the racket they make, especially and they are native to Aruba and
able by its large size, with a body during the hours of the night. Curaçao. It is usually found in dry ar-
Iguanas are easy to spot, as they are length of up to 12 cm, and its large, eas, commonly where there are not
larger than most other lizards and swollen tail, approximately the same The Pega-pega Phyllodactylus Julieni large trees; rather they enjoy rocks,

when young, have a bright green length or slightly shorter than its body; is also a protected species in Aruba, walls or tree trunks, as they prefer to
color that makes them stand out. females are larger and more robust by law. It is illegal to kill them! stay close to the ground.
than males. It has short, robust legs These lizards are about 7cm in length,
The iguanas usually found in Aruba with flattened toes and extensive Blue Kododo have a brown color with a stripe
are the Iguana iguana, known as the basal webbing. on each side and typically, several
green iguana, or locally as Yuwana. The undersides of its toes are cov- stripes on the body and tail that are
The Yuwana are a mostly herbivo- ered in lamellae, which are used as lighter in color. It has a dewlap which
rous species, and can grow up to friction pads to cling to smooth verti- is orange-yellow – and what’s unique
2 meters in size, including the tail, cal surfaces. Some can even walk about this species is that it is the only
making them one of the largest in around completely upside down. Its known species of anole where the
the iguana family. As you will see, toes are covered with ridges, which dewlap is asymetrically colored, with
despite their name, as they reach are peppered with millions of micro- one side being a deeper orange and
adulthood, the iguanas can take on scopic bristle-like structures called These are one of the most striking the other side a lighter yellow. Mostly
a grey or blue tone instead of the setae that attach and detach when lizards in Aruba, recognizable by the this is seen in the males, as it is almost
bright green displayed by the young the animal wills them to, and they male’s bright blue color. The Aruban imperceptible in the females. If the
ones. In Aruba – as in the rest of the never get gunked up. whiptail lizard, Cnemidophorus aru- Toteki shows you his dewlap, retreat!
Kingdom of the Netherlands – the bensis, is a species endemic to Aruba, This is not a friendly greeting!
most usual color varies from green They are variable in coloration, from a meaning you can only find it here on
to lavender, black and sometimes mottled dark gray to orange-brown, our One Happy Island! They are also Lizards are wonderful creatures that
a reddish brown. and are capable of changing color recognized as the most common and are precious to our fragile, local eco-
depending on their mood and sur- populous lizard on the island. While system. Please be mindful of these
Yuwana is a protected species, as roundings. Mottled and banded mark- the male is blue with white dots, the residents as you enjoy your stay.q
it is listed under Appendix II of the ings aid in camouflage against tree female is brown with blue dots.
Convention on International Trade in bark. They are harmless and fragile; Images: Some images are from
Endangered Species (CITES), meaning you can hold one in your hands as These charming lizards eat mostly Aruba Birdlife Conservation.