Caribicus anelpistus

Caribicus anelpistus, the Altagracia giant galliwasp, is a species of lizard of the Diploglossidae family endemic to the Dominican Republic on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.

Caribicus anelpistus
Photo of holotype
Conservation status
Critically endangered, possibly extinct  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Diploglossidae
Genus:	Caribicus
Species:	C. anelpistus
Binomial name
Caribicus anelpistus (Schwartz, Graham, & Duval, 1979)
Synonyms
Celestus anelpistus

Taxonomy

Along with the other members of its genus, it was formerly classified in the genus Celestus.^[2][3]

Conservation

Due to habitat loss and small Indian mongoose predation, it is considered critically endangered, and previously considered to be extinct. Known only from the holotype, it was not seen since 1977 in San Cristobal Province, with a giant galliwasp sighted in the vicinity of Jarabacoa in 2004 thought to have been of this species.^[1]

On 25 March 2020, an adult male specimen has been captured by a local resident at La Lomita. Other locals have reported sightings of similar animals, especially at night, suggesting that a small population exists in the area.^[4]