The rainbow whiptail (''Cnemidophorus lemniscatus'') is a species of lizard found in

Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...

, the

Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...

, and northern

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

. It has also been introduced in

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

and has established populations there. A rainbow whiptail grows up to approximately 12 inches (30.5 cm). Both sexually reproducing and

parthenogenetic Parthenogenesis (; from the Greek grc, παρθένος, translit=parthénos, lit=virgin, label=none + grc, γένεσις, translit=génesis, lit=creation, label=none) is a natural form of asexual reproduction in which growth and development ...

populations are known. Cnemidophorus lemniscatus (01).JPG,

Tayrona National Natural Park The Tayrona National Natural Park ( es, Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona) is a protected area in the Colombian northern Caribbean region and within the jurisdiction of the city of Santa Marta, from the city centre. The park presents a biodi ...

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

Rainbow Ameiva.jpg, Tayrona National Natural Park, Colombia Cnemidophorus lemniscatus blue.JPG, Blue specimen in

Providencia Island Isla de Providencia, historically Old Providence, and generally known as Providencia, is a mountainous Caribbean island that is part of the Colombian department of Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina and the municipality o ...

, Colombia Rainbow whiptail (Cnemidophorus lemniscatus) - Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona 05.jpg, Rainbow whiptail at Tayrona Natural Park. Rainbow whiptail (Cnemidophorus lemniscatus) Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona 04.jpg, Struggle between two ''Cnemidophorus lemniscatus''.

References

Cnemidophorus Lizards of Central America Lizards of South America Lizards of the Caribbean Reptiles of Belize Reptiles of Brazil Reptiles of Colombia Reptiles of Costa Rica Reptiles of El Salvador Reptiles of French Guiana Reptiles of Guatemala Reptiles of Guyana Reptiles of Honduras Reptiles of Nicaragua Reptiles of Panama Reptiles of Suriname Reptiles of Trinidad and Tobago Reptiles of Venezuela Reptiles described in 1758 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{lizard-stub