Page 11 - AHATA

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LOCAL Saturday 26 July 2025

Sun catchers: The different lizards in Aruba

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