About Agama picticauda (Peters, 1877)
Agama picticauda, also commonly known as Peter's rock agama and the African redhead agama, is a species of lizard belonging to the family Agamidae. The species is native to West Africa, where it occurs from Mauritania in the west to Nigeria in the east. A. picticauda was first introduced to Florida in 1976 through the pet trade, first colonizing Homestead and other areas of Miami-Dade County. Since its introduction, it has spread to other parts of South Florida, including the Florida Keys. Introduced populations of A. picticauda also exist in La Réunion and the Comoros, while single specimens have been reported from Cape Verde, Madeira, and Madagascar. Sightings of the species in South Florida increased rapidly at the end of 2020, which indicates the local population has also grown rapidly in recent years. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, further sightings recorded in 2024 confirm the population has expanded northward into Central Florida, reaching as far north as Volusia County. Multiple Caribbean-based biologists and conservationists have drafted an awareness letter that highlights the threat A. picticauda would pose to reptiles across the Caribbean Lesser Antilles if the species becomes established there. Several individual specimens were sighted in the British Virgin Islands and The Bahamas in 2022 and 2023. In March 2025, a shipment arriving on the island of Saint Barthélemy contained several A. picticauda individuals, all of which were captured shortly after arrival. A 2024 study from the University of Florida suggests this invasive lizard, now found in over 20 Florida counties, may indirectly increase the risk of mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile virus. Because A. picticauda preys on the also invasive brown anole, it reduces the number of anoles available for mosquitoes to feed on. This shift in available prey may lead mosquitoes to seek out humans for blood meals, potentially increasing the spread of these diseases.
