在加勒比海新發(fā)現(xiàn)的黑鬣蜥屬瀕危物種

在加勒比海新發(fā)現(xiàn)的黑鬣蜥屬瀕危物種

The novel reptile, Iguana melanoderma, was found on the Saba and Montserrat islands of the Lesser Antilles.

人們在小安的列斯群島的薩巴島和蒙特塞拉特島發(fā)現(xiàn)了一種新的爬行動物——鬣蜥。

Researchers announced their discovery in the journal ZooKeys. According to the paper, the new species -- the melanistic black iguana -- is severely threatened.

研究人員在ZooKeys雜志上公布了他們的發(fā)現(xiàn)。根據(jù)這篇論文，這個新物種——黑鬣蜥——受到了嚴重的威脅。

This new melanistic taxon is threatened by unsustainable harvesting -- including for the pet trade -- and both competition and hybridization from escaped or released invasive alien iguanas, scientists wrote.

科學家們寫道:“這種新的黑色素類群受到了不可持續(xù)的捕撈——包括寵物貿(mào)易——以及來自逃跑或釋放的外來鬣蜥的競爭和雜交的威脅。”

The Lesser Antilles are home to three iguana species, but only one is endemic. The Lesser Antillean iguana, Iguana delicatissima, has lived among the northernmost islands of the Lesser Antilles for thousands of years. More recently, the islands have welcomed a pair of newcomers: the common iguana, Iguana iguana iguana, from South America and the green iguana, Iguana rhinolopha, from Central America.

小安的列斯群島有三種鬣蜥，但只有一種是當?shù)靥赜械摹?小安德烈斯島鬣蜥，小安德烈斯島鬣蜥，已經(jīng)在小安的列斯群島最北端的島嶼上生活了數(shù)千年。 最近，這些島嶼迎來了一對新來者: 來自南美洲的普通鬣蜥，鬣蜥和來自中美洲的綠鬣蜥。

Physically, the new species is differentiated by a black spot located between the eye and its ear cavity. Juveniles also boast a dorsal carpet pattern that darkens as the reptiles age. Genetically, the species is marked by a series of unique mitochondrial patterns.

在體貌特征上，這個新物種是通過一個位于眼和耳腔之間的黑點來區(qū)分的。幼體的背部也有地毯圖案，隨著爬行動物的年齡增長而變暗。從遺傳學上講，該物種以一系列獨特的線粒體模式為標志。

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Lesser Antillean iguana remains a species of least concern, but the group's Red List fails to differentiate between different populations. In some parts of the Caribbean, such as Guadeloupe, the common iguana and the green iguana have pushed the Lesser Antillean iguana to the brink of extinction through competition and hybridization.

根據(jù)國際自然保護聯(lián)盟(International Union for Conservation of Nature)的說法，較小的安提利爾鬣蜥仍然是最不受關注的物種，但該組織的紅色名單未能區(qū)分不同的種群。在加勒比海的一些地區(qū)，如瓜德羅普島，常見的鬣蜥和綠色鬣蜥已經(jīng)通過競爭和雜交把較小的安地利爾島鬣蜥推到了滅絕的邊緣。

Similar trends are underway on the islands of the Lesser Antilles, and scientists worry the newly discovered melanistic black iguana will face a similar fate.

類似的趨勢正在小安的列斯群島上發(fā)生，科學家們擔心新發(fā)現(xiàn)的黑色鬣蜥將面臨類似的命運。

Researchers hope that future analysis of the region's iguana species will help scientists better differentiate endemic lineages from invasive iguanas.

研究人員希望未來對該地區(qū)鬣蜥物種的分析，可以有助于科學家更好地區(qū)分地方性鬣蜥和入侵性鬣蜥。