The Anguilla Bank skink (''Spondylurus powelli'') was discovered in the Caribbean with 20 other reptile species and was immediately listed as an

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...

. The population of this lizard has been decreasing due to the introduction of the

mongoose A mongoose is a small terrestrial carnivorous mammal belonging to the family Herpestidae. This family is currently split into two subfamilies, the Herpestinae and the Mungotinae. The Herpestinae comprises 23 living species that are native to so ...

, which was originally imported to control rats in

sugarcane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with ...

fields, and now is an

invasive species An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species ad ...

to the

Caribbean Islands Almost all of the Caribbean islands are in the Caribbean Sea, with only a few in inland lakes. The largest island is Cuba. Other sizable islands include Hispaniola, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago. Some of the smaller islands are re ...

. Many of the newly added

skink Skinks are lizards belonging to the family Scincidae, a family in the infraorder Scincomorpha. With more than 1,500 described species across 100 different taxonomic genera, the family Scincidae is one of the most diverse families of lizards. Ski ...

species discovered along with ''S. powelli'' are facing extinction for the same reason. Skinks are unique and perhaps at a disadvantage among lizards as they produce a human-like

placenta The placenta is a temporary embryonic and later fetal organ that begins developing from the blastocyst shortly after implantation. It plays critical roles in facilitating nutrient, gas and waste exchange between the physically separate mater ...

and have live birth. The average gestation period is suggested at one year and may be the cause for the skinks being an easy target to the mongoose, since they are larger and slower when pregnant. Other types of human activity, along with the

deforestation Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated d ...

in the Caribbean, are thought to have decreased overall species numbers, as well.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3493739 Spondylurus Reptiles described in 2012 Reptiles of the Caribbean Endemic fauna of the Caribbean Taxa named by Stephen Blair Hedges Taxa named by Caitlin E. Conn