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Island Critters

This material was taken from: The Ephemeral Islands, David G. Campbell, 1978. Macmillan Education ltd. London.

 

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Anoles (Anolis):

Location: __________________________      Date:____________ Time:_________
Describe habitat and/or behavior: _______________________________________________________
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Anoles are small lizards (about 4 in. long) found literally everywhere in the Bahamas; almost every major island or cay has one or more unique subspecies of anoles. These small lizards are very territorial and perform a stylized routine of push-ups and head-bobs accompanied by extension of a bright orange dewlap (throat fan) many times a day to discourage rival lizards from invading their hunting ground.  Anoles are typically territorial yet peaceful, seldom fighting for hunting grounds but respecting each others’ threat displays.  Threat displays are also used to attract mates. Pay attention, you will notice the same anoles in the same place each day, guarding their territories.
Camouflage:  External stimuli, such as light intensity, can cause an anole to turn from gray to brown to black in a matter of minutes. 

• Anoles have the ability to ditch their tails and regenerate new ones. This is accomplished by means of built-in fractures in the vertebra and muscles of the tail, which are designed to break off evenly with little blood loss. 
• Breed mainly in the spring and fall rainy seasons.  They use a specialized 3rd (pineal) eye to detect day length to determine breeding season.
• White, pea-sized eggs are laid in loose leaf debris. Babies are miniature adults, only an inch long. Newborn lizards are rarely seen as they are very vulnerable to predators and stay hidden in rock crevices and low shrubs.

 

 

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Curly-tailed Lizards (Leiocephalus)

Location: __________________________      Date:____________ Time:_________
Describe habitat and/or behavior: _________________________________________________________________________________
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• Vertically coiled tail that may serve as a threat display.
• Much larger than anoles, growing to over 9 inches in length. 
• Black, brown, and gray-patterned 
• Prefer to live in sandy dune and cliff areas.
• While the anoles are almost too numerous to count in a given day, you will be lucky to spot even one curly-tailed lizard. 

 

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Boa Constrictors (Epicrates)
Location: __________________________      Date:____________ Time:_________
Describe habitat and/or behavior: ___________________________________________________________________________________
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• Referred to as “fowl snakes” by Bahamians, boa constrictors are one of the most needlessly feared of all Bahamian creatures.  Bahamians believe that boas are venomous and can hypnotize people, and will steal the milk from sleeping babies’ bottles, and thus are typically killed on sight by most Bahamians.  Yet all of these beliefs are false! 
• In reality, boas are of tremendous benefit to humans because of the thousands of rats and mice they consume during their 10-20 year lifespan.
• Juvenile snakes feed on anoles. A hunting boa slides from branch to branch or along the ground with silence and stealth. It can freeze its movement in a moment and blend into the surroundings instantly, or strike its prey with lightening suddenness. The boa uses its teeth to grasp its victim, then envelopes it in its coils, thereby suffocating and crushing it. The victim is then swallowed whole.
• Because of habitat destruction and persecution by humans, boa constrictors are becoming rare on some islands. The few boas that do live to old age can grow to a maximum length of 8 feet!

 

 

 

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Brown Racers (Alsophis)
Location: __________________________      Date:____________ Time:_________
Describe habitat and/or behavior: ____________________________________________________________________________________
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• Fast- moving, smaller snakes
• Hunt lizards and insects among the leaves and yard debris on the islands.
• Rear-fanged, with a mild venom that is harmless to humans, cats, dogs, and other large animals.

 

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Giant Bat Moth (Money Bat)
Location: __________________________      Date:____________ Time:_________
Describe habitat and/or behavior: ___________________________________________________________________________________
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• One of the most common insects you will encounter while on Eleuthera.
•  Can grow to 8 inches wide (average here is about 6 inches). 
• They are dark brown with faint geometric constellations (markings).

 

• Money bats will congregate by the hundreds to lap up sweet sap leaking from a tree. We have seen groups of 50 or more feeding on a stalk of ripe bananas hung on the porch!  They seem to prefer doorways and windows and, consequently, end up flapping hysterically when anyone passes by.  

 

• Surrounded by mystique, these giant moths are called “briyas” or witches in Cuba and are thought to be spirits.  Rumor has it they bring luck and riches.

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Cuban Tree Frog
Location: __________________________      Date:____________ Time:_________
Describe habitat and/or behavior: ___________________________________________________________________________________
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• Found in windows, doorways, and footwash buckets.
• Their calls fill the air with jungle sounds – very loud and persistent.
• They are very talented jumpers, able to leap as far as 6-8 ft to hit their targets!
• They cling with sticky toe pads to any surprised person who steps into their flight path, and as a defense mechanism, have developed irritating mucus that coats their bodies. This can cause local inflammation and itching if it comes into contact with any cuts or abrasions. If you come into contact with one, be sure to wash your hands very thoroughly and avoid touching your eyes.

 

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“No See-ums” (Sandflies)
Location: __________________________      Date:____________ Time:_________
Describe habitat and/or behavior: ___________________________________________________________________________________
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• No bigger than a grain of salt, sandflies are probably the most detested creatures in all the Bahamas!They inflict tiny welts more irritating, itchy, and longer-lasting than any mosquito bite. 
• During the summer, sandflies tend to be the worst in the morning and at dusk, and are most annoying on still, hot days and nights. Any breeze over 6 mph will blow them away; however, they still congregate in areas out of the wind. 
• Sandflies prefer ankles and feet over most other areas, but they are not particular if uncovered or unprotected skin is available. Good insect repellent will work most of the time, but the only surefire way to avoid bites is to COVER-UP!  We recommend long pants, socks, and a long sleeve shirt for those hot windless times that bring them out in force.

 

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Centipedes
Location: __________________________      Date:____________ Time:_________
Describe habitat and/or behavior: ___________________________________________________________________________________
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• Dangerous creatures that can inject potent venom through sharp pointed “chelicerae” (pointed appendages) on their heads. Their herbivorous cousins, the millipedes, have no sting or bite.
• Some centipedes can grow up to 8 inches long and move very swiftly.
• Occasionally seen here; they like to crawl into wet clothing or towels left on the floor, and hide under rocks, logs, or in yard debris.
• General rule: Pick up your wet clothes and towels, keep your luggage zipped and neat, and shake out anything left lying about before putting it on, including your shoes or dive booties.

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Scorpions
Location: __________________________      Date:____________ Time:_________
Describe habitat and/or behavior: ________________________________________________________
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• Very common here, especially in clothing left piled on the floor.
• They like to come inside when it’s raining, but can be found almost anytime.
• Average size: 1- 1.5 inches long
• Light brown color allows them to blend in quite well.
• A sting from one is about the same in intensity as a wasp or hornet.
• General Rule: Pick up your clothes and towels, keep your luggage zipped and neat, and shake out anything left lying about before putting it on, including your shoes or dive booties.

 

 

 

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Ground Spider
Location: __________________________      Date:____________ Time:_________
Describe habitat and/or behavior: __________________________________________________________________________________
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• Ground spiders belong to a tropical family of spiders called hairy mygalomorphs. Considered primitive among spiders, they respire by means of book lungs, densely layered organs located in the abdomen which resemble the pages of a book and through which blood and air pass in close proximity.
• They have eight eyes closely grouped together in a turrent at the top of the cephalothorax, giving the animal a total view of 360 degrees. Most hunting is done at night when prey is located by means of ground vibrations and by touch.
• An unnecessarily dreaded creature is the giant ground spider. Their brown furry bodies resemble a tarantula and can grow up to 4 inches long and their leg span is often twice as large.
• Found at night in leaf litter hunting small invertebrates.
• When threatened, they squat down on their haunches, raise their abdomen, and make an audible purring sound. The hairs on the legs and abdomen are erected. Should these be rubbed into the skin of the threatening animal, they are highly irritating; in the eyes, they can be dangerous. The bite of a ground spider is comparable to a wasp or bee sting.

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Bottle Spiders (Black Widow)
Location: __________________________      Date:____________ Time:_________
Describe habitat and/or behavior: ___________________________________________________________________________________
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• Most venomous creature in the island is the black widow. It likes to build haphazard web in the leaf litter of palm trees, among rocks, or in the legs of furniture. 
• Jet-black plump bodies with red hourglass-shaped marking on underside.
• Members of the comb-footed spider family
• Mature females can live up to 1.5 yrs in the same web; they mate only once and usually attempt to devour their mate.
• The venom is purely defensive, for they prefer to capture prey by snaring it in their silken webs.
• Typically, a black widow bite results in sharp pain in the region of the wound followed by weakness, tremors, cramps, and aches in the limbs and soles of the feet. The venom is a powerful neurotoxin which can, in a few cases involving humans, lead to death. However, a simple anti-venom shot cancels any ill effects a bite may have.

 

 

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Leaf-nosed Bats (europhylla planifrons)
Location: __________________________      Date:____________ Time:_________
Describe habitat and/or behavior: __________________________________________________________________________________
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• Along with the “hutia,” are the only indigenous species of land mammals in the Bahamas
• All Bahamian bats are small, (5-8 inch wing span - compare this to the size of money bat moths) nocturnal, and discrete, hiding during daylight hours.
• Most species feed on fruit or insects.
• Echolocation:  A leaf-shaped appendage on the snout closely resembles a radar dish, and in a sense, acts as one, directing high frequency sound waves towards a target. The reflected sound waves are gathered by their large, elaborate, and extensive ears. Their system is so refined that many bats use it as a substitute for vision, thus allowing them to perform complex aerial maneuvers in total darkness.