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TRAITS. As hatchlings, rainbow whiptails have nine pale white longitudinal stripes with
intervening dark blue or brown regions. Each primary stripe is labelled as either being
ventrolateral, lateral, dorso-lateral or paravertebral. The vertebral or mid dorsal stripe is the least
defined and deeply coloured positioned between the paravertebral stripes. The lower pair of
stripes on each sides (ventrolateral and lateral) differ from the upper pairs (dorsolateral and
paravertebral) by their irregular margin with fused spots (Buterfield et al., 2009). Moreover, the
juvenile’s hind legs are covered by distinct spots. Henceforth, females retain the juvenile pattern
whilst males become brilliantly coloured during adulthood (Mojica et al., 2003) (Fig. 1). These
teiids have marked sex-colour dimorphism with females (65mm SVL) smaller than males (88mm
SVL) in snout-vent length and head size. This contributes to the differences in body mass of the
sexes. Males have yellow ventral surfaces, turquoise tails and flanks, blue-green face and throat
with white spotted sides (Montgomery et al., 2011). The male rainbow whiptail is known as five
stripes due to remnants of ventrolateral and lateral pairs of stripes.
UWI The Online Guide to the Animals of Trinidad and Tobago Behaviour
ACTIVITY. Cnemidophorus lemniscatus are diurnal and actively foraging lizards with level of
activity varying with time of day (Montgomery et al., 2011). The activity of rainbow whiptails
and other ectotherms rely on the intensity of irradiance. Cnemidophorus lemniscatus are mostly
active during the morning period but when solar radiance is too high at midday causing them to
move in between vegetation. These lizards are seen in the afternoon emerging again in open
areas to forage or thermoregulation (Mojica et al., 2003). The use of these substrates is primarily
associated with predator avoidance, reproduction and foraging activities. Vitt and Pianka (2004)
mention that their high levels of activity correlates with their high body temperature exceeding
40ºC.
JUVENILE BEHAVIOUR. Neonates hatch at approximately 28mm SVL and reaches maturity
at about six months after (Mojica et al., 2003). Rainbow whiptail neonates are active forager
early in life, a strategy typical of teiids.
REFERENCES
Buterfield, B. P., Hauge, J. B., Flanagan, A. and Walker, J. M. (2009). Identity, Reoroduction, variation, Ecology,
and Geographic Origin of a Florida Adventive: Cnemidophorus leminiscatus (Rainbow whiptail Lizards,
Sauria: Teiidae). Southeastern Naturalist, 8(1):45-54.
Cooper, W. E. Jr., Paulissen, M. A., and Habegger, J. J. (2000). Discrimination of prey, but not plant chemical by
Active foraging, Insectivorous Lizards, the Lacertid Takydrmus sexlineatus and the Teiid Cnemidophorus
gularis. Journal of Chemical Ecology, Vol. 26, No. 7.
Dickinson, H. C. and Fa, J. E. (2000). Abundance, demographics and body conditions of a translocated population
of St. Lucia whiptail lizard (Cnemidophorus vanzoi) J. Zool, Lond. 251, 187-197.
Mojica, B. H., Serrano, V. H. and Ramirez-Pinilla, M. P. (2003). Annual Reproduction Activity of Population of
Cnemidophorus leminiscatus (Sqamata: Teiidae), Journal of Herpetology 37(1):35-42.
Montgomery, C. E., Boback, S. M., Green, S. E. W., Paulissen, M. A., and Walker, J. M. (2011). Cnemidophorus
lemniscatus (Squamata:Teiidae) on Cayo Cochino Pequeno, Honduras: Extent of island occupation, Natural
History, and Conservation Status. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 6(1):10-24.
Ribeiro, L. B., de Sale, D. and Gogliath, M. (2011). Mating behaviour and female accompaniment in whiptail lizard
Cnemidophorus ocellifer (Squamata, Teiidae) in the caatinga region of north-eastern Brazil. Biota Neotrop,
vol. 11, no. 4.
Vitt, L. J. and Pianka, E. R. (2004). Historical pattern in lizard Ecology: What Teiids can tell us about Lacertids. The
Biology of lacertid lizards. Evolutionary and ecological perspectives (2004). Perez-Mallado, V., Riera, N.
and Perera (eds.). Institut Menorqui d’ Esturdis, Recera, 8: 139-157 .
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