Class Reptilia Suborder Sauria Rank Species | Phylum Chordata Family Anguidae | |
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Similar Diploglossus, Malpelo anole, Diploglossus monotropis, Montserrat galliwasp, Diploglossus bilobatus | ||
The dotted galliwasp or Malpelo galliwasp (Diploglossus millepunctatus) is a carnivorous species of lizard found only on Malpelo Island, Colombia.
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Description
Adults of the species grow to 180-260 mm in length. They are predominantly black, but are liberally dotted with white. Endemic to Malpelo Island, they have extremely odd feeding habits. Malpelo Island has few resources-the only available foods are crabs and seabirds, especially boobies. While the lizards eat both of these, they also eat guano, and mob birds returning to their young, forcing them to regurgitate their food for the lizards instead of their chicks.
Habitat
D. millepunctatus is endemic to Mapelelo Island, a possession of Colombia. The island is treeless and rocky, as well as very small. The species lives throughout the island. Similar to the marine iguana, it has the ability to swim for short distances, although this is not related to its feeding habits. It shares the island with two other endemic lizard species, Anolis agassizi and Phylodactylus transversalis.