Page 11 - AHATA

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local Monday 8 SepteMber 2025

Sun catchers: The different lizards in Aruba

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