Double-Striped Water Snake, Thamnodynastes ramonriveroi (Family Dipsadidae)

Thamnodynastes ramonriveroi Manzanilla & Sánchez 2005

Size: 600 mm TL. Identification: The only Trinidad snake with 19 rows of smooth scales, light and dark dorsolateral stripes and a venter flecked with brown pigment. Rostral barely visible from above; nasals entire; one preocular; two postoculars; two primary temporals; eight upper labials, with the fourth and fifth entering orbit; eight lower labials with the first four contacting the anterior chin shields; smooth dorsal scales in 19 rows at mid-body, reduce to 17 posteriorly; ventrals 137–153; cloacal plate divided; paired subcaudals 59–75. Distribution: Coastal Suriname through eastern Venezuela (both uplands and the Orinoco Delta) and southwest Trinidad. Habitat: Semi-aquatic, in secondary forest and agricultural areas in southwest Trinidad. Biology: Nocturnal. Diet includes fish and tadpoles.

The following is adapted from Bailey and Thomas (2006)

Thamnodynastes ramonriveroi ranges from near sea level to at least 1750 m on Mt. Turumiquire on the Sucre-Monagas-Anzoategui border in Venezuela. The upland and coastal populations differ somewhat. The only Brazilian specimen, from the alto Rio Catrimany (MNRJ 668), Rio Branco, was long believed to be the only apparent specimen of Thamnodynastes strigatusfrom the north, some 3000 km from the nearest conspecific; but there was no other reason to question its provenance. In fact, Franco and Ferreira (2003) recently cited this specimen and another as evidence for a northern population of T. strigatus. With the discovery of T. ramonriveroi as a valid species, the identity of MNRJ 668 is solved, as it compares perfectly with the type series; however, it’s locality lies 930 km south of Mt. Turumiquire and 650 km from the closest Guiana records. Boos (1984) reported the first known specimen from Trinidad (there are now three existing from that island – see Murphy 1997, Boos 2001); he called it Thamnodynastes strigatus. The only congener sympatric with Thamnodynastes ramonriveroi is T. pallidus, both of which are recorded from Nieuw Nickerie and Paramaribo, Suriname, and from Demerara (Georgetown), Guayana. All localities are in areas of original forest. The species is semi-aquatic. An Elvécia specimen was noted by Netting: “Caught crawling in a small pool. Swam easily and well. Flattened the entire first half of body and when tormented opened mouth very widely; played possum when struck with a light stick” (the flattening behavior is shown in Manzanilla and Sánchez 2005. His field notes for another specimen give the local name as ”mapanare del agua”. A preserved specimen from Guyana had a small cyprinodontid fish in its mouth, and one from Suriname had eaten a metamorphosing tadpole. Three gravid females have been examined: CM 7977, 337 mm SVL, with five embryos, was taken January 13, 1930; RMNH 990, 365mm SVL, contained four embryos; and in AMNH 36119, 348mm SVL, two eggs were observe.

Diagnosis. A northern dwarfed relative of Thamnodynastes strigatus, from which it differs chiefly in its smaller size, lesser development of para-cloacal tubercles in males, a higher modal maxillary tooth count, and in possessing enlarged basal hooks on the hemipenis. Description of a typical specimen. An adult male (CM 7981), collected by M.G. Netting on January 14, 1930, at Elvécia, Sucre State, Venezuela.

A medium-sized, stocky snake with smooth dorsal scales in the formula 19- 19-15, reducing twice by the loss of the fourth lateral row opposite ventrals 69 and 84, respectively; a single scale pit is distinct on most of the scales that have not slipped; ventrals 147; cloacal plate divided; subcaudals 62 plus a terminal spine; supralabials 8- 8, third (very narrowly) to fifth entering the orbit; infralabials 9-9, the anterior five in contact with the genials; one pre and two postoculars on each side; nasal divided below nostril; loreal with its lower margin nearly twice as long as the upper; two temporals contact the postoculars; para-loacal tubercles scarcely evident; TL 492mm; tail 112mm; tail/SVL ratio 22.8%; HL 18.5mm; orbit 3.3mm, projecting to front of nostril; maxillary teeth 16+2G. Nuchal pale stripe about 13 scales long before being interrupted by a series of mid-dorsal pale spots about the size of the eye; ground color slate gray where scales have slipped and brown where they are present; scales between and on either side of pale dorsal spots are edged with black on the anterior part of the body becoming inconspicuous posteriorly; a dark lateral stripe follows the fourth lateral row; the top of the head is gray with darker mottling; the eye to angle of jaw stripe is well developed, meeting the orbit on the postocular suture and continuing anteriorly from orbit to nostril; five pale-centered dark spots on the supralabials, the largest on the fifth, plus a few irregular smaller markings; chin bars and scattered dark spots present on the throat; five rows of dark spots with paler centers on the ventrals with additional pigment between the rows, the outermost pair of which are much the darkest and separated from the dorsal color by a narrow pale line, which is not sharply demarcated. CM 7981 is described in Netting’s field notes as follows: “greenish above with dark blackish spots and light greenish between markings below, iris light brown.”

Bailey J.R, R.A Thomas 2007. A revision of the South American snake genus Thamnodynastes Wagler, 1830 (Serpentes, Colubridae, Tachymenini). II. Three new species from northern South America, with further descriptions of Thamnodynastes gambotensis Pérez-Santos and Moreno and Tha Memoria de la Fundación La Salle de Ciencias Naturales 166: 7-27 [2006]

Cole, CJ,CR Townsend, RP. Reynolds, RD MacCulloch, & A Lathrop 2013. Amphibians and reptiles of Guyana, South America: illustrated keys, annotated species accounts, and a biogeographic synopsis. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 125 (4): 317-578; plates: 580-620

Manzanilla, J. & Sánchez 2005. Una nueva especie de Thamnodynastes (Serpentes: Colubridae) del macizo del Turimiquire, noreste de Venezuela. Memorias de la Fundación La Salle de Ciencias Naturales 161-162: 61-75 [2004]

Natera-Mumaw, M; LF Esqueda-González & M Castelaín-Fernández 2015. Atlas Serpientes de Venezuela Santiago de Chile, Dimacofi Negocios Avanzados S.A., 456 pp.

Rivas, GA.; CR Molina, G N Ugueto, TR. Barros, CL. Barrio-Amorós & PJK Kok 2012. Reptiles of Venezuela: an updated and commented checklist. Zootaxa 3211: 1–64

Ocellated Gecko, Gonatodes ocellatus (Family Sphaerodactylidae)

Cyrtodactylus ocellatus Gray 1831: 51.
Gonatodes ocellatus: Boulenger 1885: 60.

Type locality not given by Gray but stated as Tobago by Boulenger 1885. Distribution. Known only from Tobago and Little Tobago.

Size: 43−48 mm SVL, tail 47% of SVL, hatchlings 19−23 mm SVL. Identification: A small brightly colored lizard with a cylindrical body and tail; male’s head yellow with red-brown stripes, dorsum cinnamon brown with large blue ocelli bordered with black on the shoulder, the ocelli may be present in one or two pairs on each side of the body; females less colorful, faint vertebral stripe; lamellae on fourth toe 25−26. Snout pointed from above, round in profile; canthus rounded and indistinct; dorsum covered in small granular scales; ventrals larger than dorsal scales and imbricate. Similar species: The only other Gonatodes on Tobago is G. vittatus, a species with a vertebral stripe in both sexes; the blue ocelli on the shoulder will readily separate it from G. ceciliae (found only in Trinidad and the Bocas) as will the 25−26 lamellae on the fourth toe (ceciliae has 18-20). Distribution: Tobago and Little Tobago Island. Reports of it on other islands (Trinidad and the Isla de Margarita) are the result of confusing it with other species. Habitat: Primary and secondary forests; on trunks of large trees growing near streams; deserted buildings; on Little Tobago common in stands of the palm Coccothrinax australis. It can also be found in trash piles that are wet and shaded. Natural History: Like other Gonatodes this species appears to be a diurnal, ambush predator. Males may be territorial and defend an area inhabited by one or more females. Diet includes insects and land snails. Communal nests containing more than 30 eggs under bark have been reported. Clutch size is a single egg.

Literature

Boulenger, G.A. 1885. Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Nat. Hist.) I. Geckonidae, Eublepharidae, Uroplatidae, Pygopodidae, Agamidae. London: 450 pp. 

Gray, J. E. 1831. A synopsis of the species of Class Reptilia. In: Griffith, E & E. Pidgeon: The animal kingdom arranged in conformity with its organisation by the Baron Cuvier with additional descriptions of all the species hither named, and of many before noticed Whittaker, Treacher and Co., London: 481 + 110 pp. [1830].

Ghost Anole, Anolis cf. lemurinus (Family Dactyloidae)

Boulenger (1885, 2:88) reported Anolis biporcatus from Trinidad based upon a British Museum specimen received from a Mr. C. Taylor in 1863. Werner (1900) listed this specimen as being from Port of Spain. Mole and Urich (1894a) retained this species on Trinidad based upon Boulenger’s account. Barbour (1930c) considered Mole and Urich’s record to be based upon Anolis aeneus. Parker (1935b) stated some authors have accepted this as a valid record, but noted that no other specimens have been forthcoming, and the specimen is present in the British Museum is not A. aeneus, but that it is closely allied to, if not conspecific with A. biporcatus. Parker listed this species in a section titled “Species Probably Incorrectly Reported from Trinidad.” Subsequently, someone suggested it be cataloged as Anolis lemurinus. My examination confirms this specimen is conspecific with, or very close to, A. lemurinus, a species known from Veracruz, Mexico, southward to Colombia. It occurs on both the Caribbean and Pacific versants of Central America, Its presence on Trinidad seems unlikely in the absence of additional specimens. But it may have extended along the northern forests of South America to Trinidad in the past. Description: The single Trinidad specimen, BMNH 63.6.18.3, is a male, SVL 69 mm, tail 144 mm. Hind limbs are 26 mm, 38% of the SVL. It seems likely that a lizard with these habits would have been discovered on Trinidad if it was present, but there is nothing to indicate the locality data is in error, and it may represent a population extirpated by habitat alteration in the last century.

Barbour's Hexagonal Scaled Bachia, Bachia trinitatis (Family Gymnophthalmidae)

Bachia alleni Barbour 1914:315
Bachia alleni — Mertens 1972.
Bachia heteropa alleni Dixon, 1973:32.
Bachia heteropus alleni Schwartz and Thomas 1975:109.
Scolecosaurus trinitatis Barbour 1914
Bachia alleni trinitatis — Donoso-Barros 1968

Dixon (1973) considered populations in northern Venezuela, Trinidad, Tobago, Gre­nada and the Grenadines Bachia heteropa despite dramatic variation in numerous morphological traits: 5–12 longitudinal rows of hexagonal, imbricate, smooth scales on the dorsum; 16–22 longitudinal rows of quadrangular, juxtaposed, lateral and ventral scales; 24 –31 scale rows around mid-body, 24–36 transverse ventral rows, some have prefrontal scales some do not. Perhaps most telling was the number of digits. Bachia heteropa could have two, three, or four toes on each hind foot and the number of digits is geographically concordant. Dixon positioned Scoleocosaurus trinitatis Barbour, S. alleni Barbour, B. lineata Boulenger, B. marcelae Donoso-Barrios and Garrido, as subspecies of B. heteropa. Most recently Rivas et al. (2012) wrote, “Bachia heteropa is a polytypic species composed of five subspecies, four of which are present in Venezuela.” The literature on Bachia heteropa was summarized by John et al. (2012) they followed Dixon’s (1973) arrangement of subspecies and noted B. anomala Roux, placed in the synonymy of B. lineata by Burt and Burt (1933), may be a valid species as noted by Shreve (1947).


Above. Bachia trinitatis from Tobago.

Bachia heteropa (sensu Dixon 1973) is composed of two morphological groups, species with prefrontal scales (mostly island species) and species without prefrontal scales (mostly mainland species). The mainland species Dixon synonymized under B. heteropa Ruthven are B. lineata Boulenger, B. anomala Roux, and B. marcelae Donoso-Barros and Garrido. Morphologically the mainland and island groups are readily distinguished. Mainland species usually have no prefrontals, two or three supraocular scales (as opposed to four in island species), two or three toes on the feet (as opposed to four in eastern Caribbean species); and quadrangular scales on the tail (as opposed to hexagonal tail scales in the island species).

Given the molecular evidence (Kohlsdorf & Wagner 2006; Kohlsdorf et al, 2010) Bachia heteropa (sensu Dixon, 1973) is polyphyletic.

Bachia trinitatus from Tobnago. 

Bachia alleni is found in Grenada, the Grenadines. Bachia trinitatis occurs on Trinidad, Tobago, Little Tobago, and in the Bocas. It inhabits the leaf litter and moves using a side to side motion of its body and tail.

Barbour T. 1914. A Contribution to the Zoögeography of the West Indies, with Especial Reference to Amphibians and Reptiles. Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 44 (2): 205-359

Barbour T. 1933. Notes on Scolecosaurus. Copeia 1933 (2): 74-77.

Dixon, J.R. (1973) A systematic review of the teiid lizards, genus Bachia, with remarks on Heterodactylus and Anotosaura. Miscellaneous Publications of the University of Kansas Museum of Natural History, 57, 1–47.

John, R.R., Bentz, E.J., Rivera Rodriguez, M.J., Bauer, A.M., & Powell, R. (2012) Bachia heteropa (Lichtenstein and von Martens). Earless Worm Lizard. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles, 894:1–9.

Chacachacare Shiny Lizard, Gymnophthalmus sp. (Family Gymnophthalmidae)

Size: 40 mm SVL, tail about 1.7x SVL. The dorsum is shiny bronze-brown with pale dorsolateral lines extending from the snout to base of the tail. Lateral scales only slightly smaller than dorsals. Ventral scales 23–27. G. underwoodii has 21–24 ventrals, and a dorsolateral stripe that fades at mid body. G. sp. is a bisexual species.  Both species of Gymnophthalmus have well developed limbs with four fingers and five toes. Both species of skinks have imbricate, cycloid scales and well developed limbs with five fingers and five toes. Distribution: In the broadest sense this group of cryptic species ranges from Mexico through Central America into Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, and Brazil.  Habitat: Inhabits open, sunny areas on lawns and at the forest edge, seems to prefer habitats without leaves. Most often seen in bright sunlight. Biology. Diurnal. Diet has not been studied, but it most likely feeds on insects and other arthropods.  Reproduction: Both sexes present in the population. Gymnophthalmus contains a cluster of cryptic species, species that look similar to each other but are genetically distinct. Two of these species are known from Trinidad, Tobago, and their satellites. Gymnophthalmus sp. is widespread in Venezuela, as well as Chacachacare Island in the Bocas. A second species, G. cryptus occurs in western Venezuela and the middle Rio Orinoco drainage system. And, a third species, G. underwoodii occurs in Trinidad, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, northern Brazil, and the West Indies as far north as Antigua. Gymnophthalmus cryptus is not morphologically distinct from G. speciosus, but they are genetically distinct. The third species G. underwoodii is an asexual clone formed by the hybridization of G. cryptus and G. sp. The clone species probably originated in the middle Orinoco drainage and dispersed downstream during flooding. It was then able to colonize Trinidad and the islands to the north as well as coastal Guyana. 

Quadrangular Scaled Bachia, Bachia cf. flavescens (Family Gymnophthalmidae)

This lizard is known from four specimens from Tobago. It, or something like it, is also known from Guyana and it is probably a complex of species known as Bachia flavescens. It can be distinguished from the other Bachia in T&T by its quadrangular scales on the dorsum, The other Bachia have hexagonal scales on the dorsum. This lizard also differs from Bachia trinitatis in its ability to use its tail as a spring to propel its body upward. 

Chacachacare Shiny Lizard, Gymnophthalmus sp. (Family Gymnophthalmidae)

Size: 40 mm SVL, tail about 1.7x SVL. The dorsum is shiny bronze-brown with pale dorsolateral lines extending from the snout to base of the tail. Lateral scales only slightly smaller than dorsals. Ventral scales 23–27. G. underwoodii has 21–24 ventrals, and a dorsolateral stripe that fades at mid body. G. sp. is a bisexual species.  Both species of Gymnophthalmus have well developed limbs with four fingers and five toes. Both species of skinks have imbricate, cycloid scales and well developed limbs with five fingers and five toes. Distribution: In the broadest sense this group of cryptic species ranges from Mexico through Central America into Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, and Brazil.  Habitat: Inhabits open, sunny areas on lawns and at the forest edge, seems to prefer habitats without leaves. Most often seen in bright sunlight. Biology. Diurnal. Diet has not been studied, but it most likely feeds on insects and other arthropods.  Reproduction: Both sexes present in the population. Gymnophthalmus contains a cluster of cryptic species, species that look similar to each other but are genetically distinct. Two of these species are known from Trinidad, Tobago, and their satellites. Gymnophthalmus speciosus (or lizards that look like it) is widespread in Venezuela, as well as Chacachacare Island in the Bocas. A second species, G. cryptus occurs in western Venezuela and the middle Rio Orinoco drainage system. And, a third species, G. underwoodii occurs in Trinidad, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, northern Brazil, and the West Indies as far north as Antigua. Gymnophthalmus cryptus is not morphologically distinct from G. sp., but they are genetically distinct. The third species G. underwoodii is an asexual clone formed by the hybridization of G. cryptus and G. sp. The clone species probably originated in the middle Orinoco drainage and dispersed downstream during flooding. It was then able to colonize Trinidad and the islands to the north as well as coastal Guyana. 

Yellow-tailed Gecko, Gonatodes albogularis (Family Sphaerodactylidae)

The status of this lizard on Trinidad and Tobago is uncertain. There are museum specimens from both islands. It seems likely that these are misidentified Gonatodes humeralis. The specimens are either eggs or hatchlings and the only way to separate the two species is the number of lamellae on the fourth toe. The ranges for both species are continuous so it is likely the counts are wrong or the actual range of the number of lamellae overlap.

Shiny Lizard, Gymnophthalmus underwoodi (Family Gymnophthalmidae)

Gymnophthalmus underwoodi Grant 1958: 228. Type locality: Barbados.

Size. Adults reach 44 mm SVL, the tail 1.7x SVL, hind legs are 29% of the SVL. Diagnosis. G. underwoodi can be distinguished from all other Trinidad and Tobago lizards by having lateral scales which are only slightly smaller than the dorsal scales, it has a dorsolateral stripe that extends only to mid body, and it has 21–24 ventral scales. G. speciosus has 23–27 ventrals, a dorsolateral stripe that extends to the tail. Cole et al (1990) consider this unisexual species to have resulted from the hybridization of G. cryptus and G. speciosus. Distribution. In the Trinidad and Tobago area, this lizard occurs on Trinidad and on most of the Boca Islands with the exception of Chacachacare Island. Otherwise, it is known from Venezuela, Brazil (Amazonas), Guyana, Surinam, Barbados, Guadeloupe (incl. Les Saintes, Terre-de-Haut), St. Vincent, Martinique, Antigua, St. Kitts, Petit Cul-de-sac, Saint-Barthelme. Habits. Inhabits open, sunny areas on lawns and at the forest edge seems to prefer habitats without leaves. This is an all-female species.

Literature

Cole CJ. Dessauer HC. Markezich AL 1993 Missing Link Found: The Second Ancestor of Gymnophthalmus underwoodi (Squamata: Teiidae), A South American Unisexual Lizard of Hybrid Origin. American Museum Novitates (3055): 1-13.

Grant C. 1958. A new Gymnophthalmus (Reptilia, Teiidae) from Barbados, B.W.I. Herpetologica 14: 227-228.

The Spiny House Gecko, Hemidactylus palaichthus

Hemidactylus palaichthus Kluge 1969:39
Hemidactylus brooki palaichthus — Mertens 1972

Type locality - Guyana, Kurupukari, 4° 0' N 59° 25' 0" W
Adults reach 62 mm in body length, tail is 1.1x the body length. Diagnosis. Dorsum covered with small granular scales and 16-17 rows of longitudinal rows of trihedral tubercles. Ventral scales are large and overlapping. Males have 36-40 total pores. Three single lamellae at the base of fourth toe, followed by six paired lamellae, and the digits terminate with a single lamellae. Similar Species. Hemidactylus mabouia has fewer rows of tubercles (6-14) and is less spiny in appearance. Distribution. The presence of this lizard on Trinidad and Tobago is relatively rare. It is more readily found on offshore islands and rocks (Monos Island, Chacachacare Island, and Little Tobago Island). The presence of two New World endemic Hemidactylus suggests an ancient ancestor that rafted from Africa. Gamble et al. (2011) suggest a divergence date between H. palaichthus and H. brasilianus between 7.4–21.9 mya.


Kluge, A. G. 1969. The evolution and geographical origin of the New World Hemidactylus mabouia-brooki complex (Gekkonidae, Sauria). Misc. PubI. Mus. Zool. Univ. Michigan 138:1-78.

Mertens R 1972 Herpetofauna tobagana. Stuttgarter Beitr. zur Naturkunde nr. 252 22 pp.

Powell R 1990 Hemidactylus palaichthus. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles 468.

Schwartz A & Henderson RW 1991 Amphibians and Reptiles of the West Indies. University of Florida Press, Gainesville, 720 pp.

Vanzolini PE 1978 On South American Hemidactylus (Sauria, Gekkonidae). Papeis Avulosus de Zoologia 31(20) 1978:307-343. 

Variegated Gecko, Gonatodes ceciliae (Family Sphaerodactylidae)

Gonatodes ceciliae Donoso-Barros 1966

Type locality - Cerro Azul, Cerca de Macuro, Peninsula de Paria, Estado Sucré, Venezuela.

Size: 51 mm SVL males, 39 mm SVL females; tail 46−48% SVL. Identification: Male dorsum red-brown with yellow spots, streaks or mottling; yellow collar bordered with black extends onto arm; venter cinnamon. Female dorsum mottled with a mid-dorsal stripe and pale venter. Snout pointed from above, rounded in profile; 2−5 enlarged horn-like ciliaries; all scales on anterior orbit margin enlarged; canthus indistinct, rounded; dorsal scales small juxtaposed granules; ventral scales imbricate and larger than dorsals; 18−20 lamellae on the fourth toe.

Similar species are other Gonatodes and coloration will readily distinguish them separate this lizard from other Trinidad; Gonatodes humeralis shares the same habitat with G. ceciliae but has a distinct spot on its nose.

Distribution: Cloud forest of Paria, Venezuela; the premontane and montane rainforests of Trinidad, and deciduous seasonal forests in the Bocas islands. Habitat: Tree trunks and other vertical surfaces in deep forest shade; often in pairs. Prefers cool damp forests; direct sunlight may be lethal. This species is a diurnal, ambush predator.  The diet has not been studied but undoubtedly includes small invertebrates. Females deposit eggs under the bark.

Referenes

Donoso-Barros R 1966. Dos nuevos Gonatodes de Venezuela. Publ. Ocas. Mus. Hist. Nat., Santiago de Chile, 11: 1-32.

McBee K,  Bickham JW & Dixon JR 1987 Male heterogamety and chromosomal variation in Caribbean lizards. Journal of Herpetology 21 (1): 68-71. 

Greater Windward Skink, Copeoglossum aurae (Family Scincidae)

Copeoglossum aurae Hedges & Conn 2012: 72
Mabuia agilis — Boulenger, 1887:191 (part)
Mabuia aenea — Garman, 1887:53 (part)
Mabuya aenea — Barbour, 1914:322 (part)
Mabuya mabouia — Barbour, 1935:129 (part)
Mabuya mabouya mabouya — Dunn, 1936:544 (part)
Mabuya bistriata — Powell et al., 1996:82 (part)
Mabuya sloanii — Mayer & Lazell, 2000:883 (part)
Mabuya nigropunctata — Miralles et al., 2005:833 (part)

Note. Pinto-Sanchez et al. (2015) proposed to maintain the genus Mabuya as a diverse taxon widely distributed throughout Central America, South America, and several Caribbean islands. According to their appraisal of species delimitation and diversity, there are 58 species within Mabuya including four candidate species revealed in the present study plus one candidate species proposed by Miralles et al. (2010). Of these, 23 named species do not have molecular data and were not evaluated here, suggesting the total number of species could be higher still.

Pinto-Sánchez NR, Calderón-Espinosa ML, Miralles A, Crawford AJ, Ramírez-Pinilla MP. 2015. Molecular phylogenetics and biogeography of the Neotropical skink genus Mabuya Fitzinger (Squamata: Scincidae) with emphasis on Colombian populations. Molecular phylogenetics and evolution. 93:188-211.

Size.  98.5 mm SVL in males; 109 mm SVL in females. Diagnosis. Differs from all T&T lizards in having five digits on each hand and foot, overlapping head scales, 28-32 mid-body scale rows, the only exception is the Lesser Windward skink. This species differs from Lesser Windward skink, Marisora aurulae by not having the parietal in contact, or rarely just touching, (in M. aurulae they are in contact); Copeoglossum has no chin scales in contact with infralabials between postmental and first sublabial, Marisora aurulae has  2–4 inches.  In coloration, Copeoglossum usually has a distinctly spotted dorsum and dark lateral stripes that extend to the hindlimbs and onto the tail. Marisora aurulae’s pattern is faded with smaller dorsal spots and dark lateral stripes that fade posteriorly into ground color. Distribution. Copeoglossum is known from Grenada, St. Vincent, the Grenadines (Bequia, Carriacou, Mustique, Petit Martinique, and Union Islands), Trinidad (including Huevos Island), and Tobago. Life History. This lizard is mostly arboreal, it has been reported from 0.5 to 3 m off the ground, it has been observed mating on a tree trunk, and preyed upon by the arboreal vine snake Oxybelis aeneus. Two females (93.0 and 95.3 mm SVL) collected in May and March contained one and three developing young.