Holcosus undulatus

Holcosus undulatus, also known commonly as the barred whiptail, the metallic ameiva, and the rainbow ameiva, is a species of lizard in the family Teiidae. The species occurs in Central America from South Mexico to Costa Rica. There are three recognized subspecies.^[2]

Holcosus undulatus
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Lacertoidea
Family:	Teiidae
Genus:	Holcosus
Species:	H. undulatus
Binomial name
Holcosus undulatus (Wiegmann, 1834)[2]
Synonyms[2]
Cnemidophorus undulatus Wiegmann, 1834 Ameiva undulata — Gray, 1845 Cnemidophorus amivoides Cope, 1894 Ameiva undulata — H.M. Smith & Laufe, 1946 Holcosus undulatus Harvey, Ugueto & Gutberlet, 2012

Description

H. undulatus is brown-coloured, with a series of darker zig-zag bars running down the sides, often with light blue and green markings along the sides and underside. It is similar to the Middle American ameiva (H. festivus).

Habitat

H. undulatus lives in litter in open habitats.

Subspecies

The following three subspecies, including the nominotypical subspecies, are recognized as being valid.^[2]

• Holcosus undulatus dexter (H.M. Smith & Laufe, 1946)
• Holcosus undulatus miadis (Barbour & Loveridge, 1929)
• Holcosus undulatus undulatus (Wiegmann, 1834)

Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Holcosus.