ameiva

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A genus of small, inoffensive lizards, the type of family Ameividæ, order Lacertilia. They are rather pretty animals, with a long whip-like tail, and peculiarly elongated toes on the hind feet. The tail is covered with a series of scales arranged in rings, the ventral shields are broad and smooth, the teeth are trilobate and compressed, and the feet are 5-toed. The general color is dark olive speckled with black on the nape of the neck; on the sides are rows or bands of white spots edged with black. There are many species, occurring from Patagonia to California and Pennsylvania. The abundant A. dorsalis of Jamaica is a characteristic example.