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Monday 2 deceMber 2024

Sun catchers: The different lizards in Aruba

ORANJESTAD – Colorful significant role in the dis-
or camouflaged, you’re persal of seeds for certain
bound to encounter a va- plants: when they eat fruit,
riety of lizards basking in they excrete the seeds in
the sun or scurrying on their diverse locations, contrib-
way in our island. From the uting to the reproduction
charming, friendly iguanas cycle of our local plants.
to the good-luck gecko Pe- faces. Some can even walk
ga-Pega, you’re bound to around completely upside crevices in the walls, or Striped anole
meet a few of these special pendix II of the Convention down. Its toes are covered behind paintings, which The striped anole (Anolis lin-
residents during your visit. on International Trade in En- with ridges, which are pep- provide the perfect shel- eatus) that lives in Aruba is
dangered Species (CITES), pered with millions of mi- ter for them. Pega pega is known locally as Waltaka
Aruba, as a desert island, meaning that international croscopic bristle-like struc- a gecko endemic to our or Toteki. This is a species of
is home to an incredible trade is regulated through tures called setae that at- island, but in time, some lizard in the family Dacty-
variety of unique and col- the CITES permit system. tach and detach when the 4–5 intrusive gecko species loidae, and they are native
orful species. Among them In the past, Arubans used animal wills them to, and have been observed, some to Aruba and Curaçao. It is
we can find different liz- to eat a popular Yuwana they never get gunked up. of which do not cease to usually found in dry areas,
ards, most of which have soup, as it was believed to amaze us with the racket commonly where there
South American origins. But give strength and help re- They are variable in col- they make, especially dur- are not large trees; rather
there are a few exceptions. store health – probably due oration, from a mottled ing the hours of the night. they enjoy rocks, walls or
to the protein boost it deliv- dark gray to orange- tree trunks, as they prefer
I g u a n a s ered. However, it is now il- brown, and are capable The Pega-pega Phyllodac- to stay close to the ground.
Iguanas are easy to spot, legal to catch, kill, buy or of changing color depend- tylus Julieni is also a pro-
as they are larger than sell Yuwanas in Aruba, and ing on their mood and sur- tected species in Aruba, by These lizards are about 7cm
most other lizards and this includes eating them! roundings. Mottled and law. It is illegal to kill them! in length, have a brown
when young, have a banded markings aid in color with a stripe on each
bright green color that Turnip-tailed gecko camouflage against tree Blue Kododo side and typically, several
makes them stand out. The turnip-tailed gecko bark. They are harmless These are one of the most stripes on the body and tail
is known locally as the and fragile; you can hold striking lizards in Aruba, rec- that are lighter in color. It has
The iguanas usually found Pega-Pega, meaning one in your hands as long ognizable by the male’s a dewlap which is orange-
in Aruba are the Iguana sticky-sticky, due to the as you are VERY gentle. bright blue color. The Aru- yellow – and what’s unique
iguana, known as the way it sticks to walls us- Never put pressure on its tail ban whiptail lizard, Cnemi- about this species is that it
green iguana, or locally as ing the suction in its little because it will surely drop as dophorus arubensis, is a is the only known species of
Yuwana. The Yuwana are a fingers. They are found a measure to try to distract species endemic to Aruba, anole where the dewlap is
mostly herbivorous species, inside houses, and are the predator, and they are meaning you can only find asymetrically colored, with
and can grow up to 2 me- mostly a nocturnal animal. different from other lizards it here on our One Happy one side being a deeper
ters in size, including the tail, because they’re long-lived, Island! They are also recog- orange and the other side
making them one of the According to Etnia Nativa, talkative, lack eyelids, and nized as the most common a lighter yellow. Mostly this
largest in the iguana family. the local Pega Pega is im- their small scales are situ- and populous lizard on the is seen in the males, as it is
As you will see, despite their mediately recognizable by ated next to each other island. While the male is blue almost imperceptible in the
name, as they reach adult- its large size, with a body like cobblestones rather with white dots, the female females. If the Toteki shows
hood, the iguanas can length of up to 12 cm, than overlapping as is the is brown with blue dots. you his dewlap, retreat! This
take on a grey or blue tone and its large, swollen tail, case in most other lizards. is not a friendly greeting!
instead of the bright green approximately the same These charming lizards eat
displayed by the young length or slightly shorter Turnip-tailed Geckos are mostly plants, such as flow- Lizards are wonderful
ones. In Aruba – as in the than its body; females are insectivorous and feed on ers, nectar, leaves and fruits, creatures that are pre-
rest of the Kingdom of the larger and more robust than cockroaches, grasshop- and occasionally enjoy cious to our fragile, lo-
Netherlands – the most usu- males. It has short, robust pers, beetles, flies, mosqui- some insects. They are se- cal ecosystem. Please be
al color varies from green to legs with flattened toes and toes, and spiders, which lective in which plants they mindful of these residents
lavender, black and some- extensive basal webbing. makes them the best pest eat, because of the toxins as you enjoy your stay.
times a reddish brown. The undersides of its toes are control to have at home! present in many available Images: Some im-
covered in lamellae, which They spend their days con- plants species. The Kododo ages are from Aruba
Yuwana is a protected spe- are used as friction pads to cealed in dark tree grooves help take care of Aruba’s Birdlife Conservation.
cies, as it is listed under Ap- cling to smooth vertical sur- and cavities, in narrow vegetation by playing a