New Species of lizard discovered in Cuba

12/05/2009 12:01:29 May 2009. A new species of lizard has been discovered in Cuba. The lizard is found in the bushes and forest of a protected park and has been called "Aristelliger reyesi".

The finding shows that Cuba's biodiversity still holds surprises, for that reason inventories and biological monitoring actions should be further facilitated, said Luis M. Diaz, researcher with Cuba's National Museum of Natural History.
The Aristelliger contain seven Caribbean species and, surprisingly, its closest relatives come from Africa, which means that its origin could be very ancient.

The Aristelliger reyesi grows up to 13 centimetres long, with males being larger than females. The head is crossed by a black stripe that reaches the forelegs.