Exploring the Potential of Morphometrics to Inform the Conservation of <i>Iguana delicatissima</i>
Invasive alien species severely impact native and endemic species, disproportionately affecting insular species like Caribbean reptiles. The Lesser Antillean iguana, <i>Iguana delicatissima</i>, is rapidly declining due to hybridization with non-native green iguanas (NNGIs). With numerou...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Conservation |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7159/4/4/38 |
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| Summary: | Invasive alien species severely impact native and endemic species, disproportionately affecting insular species like Caribbean reptiles. The Lesser Antillean iguana, <i>Iguana delicatissima</i>, is rapidly declining due to hybridization with non-native green iguanas (NNGIs). With numerous NNGI populations present in the region, the last <i>I. delicatisisma</i>-inhabited islands remain highly susceptible to invasion, whereupon the rapid in situ differentiation of NNGIs is essential. However, currently only few scale and coloration characters allow the in situ identification of NNGIs. Here, we assessed the differentiating power of an additional 20 meristic and length-dependent characteristics between the <i>I. delicatissima</i> population on St. Eustatius and the NNGI population on St. Maarten, the main source of NNGIs arriving on St. Eustatius. Of these, 13 significantly differed between <i>I. delicatissima</i> and NNGIs, with a ≥94% assignment accuracy in multi-variate predictive models. We recommend that these characteristics be assessed and validated, especially for hybrid individuals, allowing the identification of NNGIs even in populations where hybridization is ongoing. Our work demonstrates the value of investing in baseline morphometric datasets for <i>I. delicatissima</i> and other native iguanas to aid in the rapid in situ detection of NNGIs for removal. |
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| ISSN: | 2673-7159 |