About Pholidoscelis erythrocephalus (Shaw, 1802)
Pholidoscelis erythrocephalus, commonly called the St Christopher ameiva, has different maximum snout-vent lengths for each sex: males reach up to 140 mm (5.5 in), while females reach up to 103 mm (4.1 in). The back and sides have a dark olive green base color marked with darker vermiculated patterns, which are darkest on the sides. The head is also dark olive green, but it becomes progressively redder as the lizard matures. Juveniles only have a small pink area on the snout, while the red color extends behind the ears in larger specimens. The chin and throat are white, often with a faint orange tint, and the entire underside of the body is white. Juveniles have four thin cream stripes: two across the back, and one on each side. These stripes fade as the lizard grows. Larger adult individuals have rows of blue scales along their lower sides; in large males, this blue coloring also extends onto the upper parts of the legs. This species is endemic to the islands of the Saint Christopher Bank. It is abundant on Sint Eustatius, but only locally common on St Kitts and Nevis. This difference in abundance is possibly caused by predation from the introduced Small Indian mongoose (Urva auropunctata) on St Kitts and Nevis. It can be found living in forests, parks, and gardens.
