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LOCAL Tuesday 24 March 2026

Sun catchers: The different lizards in Aruba

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