Animals of Anguilla

Anguilla is a British territory located in the Caribbean and is comprised of numerous islands many of which are uninhabited. Anguilla is famous for its coral reefs, but it has several animal species which are unique to the Island.

Animals of Anguilla

Anguilla Bank Anole (Anolis gingivinus)

The Anguilla Bank Anole (Anolis gingivinus) is a species of the anole lizard which is primarily located in the islands of the Caribbean Lesser Antilles, the banks of the Islands of Anguilla, the satellite islands of Saint Martin, and saint Barthelemy. The lizards are tiny with males reaching 72 millimeters in length weighing about 9.78 grams. The lizard has olive to light green color on the dorsal part, with a belly that is cream to bright yellow. The Anguilla Bank Anole spends the majority of its time perched on tree trunks and branches basking and preying on insects.

Sweat bee (Lasioglossum)

The sweat bee (Lasioglossum) comprises of more than 1700 species. Bees of this genus are the largest and are identified for their behavior of nesting in burrows in the ground or inside rotten logs. The Lasioglossum genus bees are known as sweat bees due to their attraction to the salt in human sweat.

Sombrero ameiva lizard (Ameiva corvine)

The Sombrero ameiva is another lizard species found primarily in Anguilla and the uninhabited islands in the Caribbean Lesser Antilles. The lizards have a booming population in the islands due to the islands’ isolation and lack of human interference. The Sombrero ameiva lizards are small in size with males reaching 133 millimeters in length. They primarily feed on eggs.

Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricate)

The Hawksbill sea turtle is a species of turtle which are found all over the world except around the poles and have a strong presence in the Anguilla Islands. The turtle is easily identified by its sharp, curved beak and a shell which has serrations in its edges. These turtles are also known for changing the colorations on their shells. The Hawksbill sea turtle grows to reach a length of 3 feet and an average weight of 180 pounds. Another special characteristic of the turtle species is its ability to emit light which is more prominent in males and is mainly attributed to its diet.

Masked booby (Sula dactylatra)

The Sula dactylatra is the binomial name for a large seabird species of the booby family which is commonly known as the masked booby due to dark coloration around its eyes, resembling a mask. The masked booby is the largest of all booby birds reaching 36 inches in length and a 65-inch wingspan. The masked booby has large numbers in the Anguilla islands where they have breeding grounds. These birds are excellent fishers and catch fish by diving at high speeds.

Conservation status

Most of the animals located in the Anguilla Islands do not face any significant threat from humans due to the isolation of the islands and most of the animals in the island are flourishing