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Agama agama – The Invasive Exotic Chloe Lloyd Marko Sillanpaa Project Manager – Ellen Butler Instructor – Kenneth Gioeli Credit: Marko Sillanpaa African Redhead Agama Agama agama Native to the sub-Saharan Africa, Ethiopia and Kenya. Population discovered in Dade County in 1976. Released from the pet trade. Subordinate and juvenile males and females have dull grey or brown color. Credit: Marko Sillanpaa Credit: Marko Sillanpaa African Redhead Agama Agama agama Males are reported by FWC to reach 12” and according to a herpetological guide they will grow to 16”. Our observations show closer to 14”. Dominate males have bright colors. One site indicates that when threatened a male color will go away. Marko Sillanpaa Credit: Marko Sillanpaa Credit: Marko Sillanpaa Diet Agama are insectivores. They are also reported to feed on small mammals, small reptiles, and vegetation. The agama are visual hunters, who search out their prey, quickly strike and run away. There is a report from Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens, that an agama might have attacked an anole. Our observations showed anoles in close proximity to agamas. Credit: Marko Sillanpaa Agama Invasion 1976 – 1986 – 1990s – 2000 – 2003 – Dade County Charlotte Broward Seminole Martin Monroe (non-breading) Florida Oceanographic Society – Coastal Center First spotted in 2013. Well established in several locations. Predation Birds of Prey – The African harrier-hawk (Polyboroides typus) is reported to search rock crevices for lizards like the agama. Lizard buzzard (Kaupifalco monogrammicus). We were told that a volunteer at Florida Oceanographic Observed a hawk capture an agama on property. Snakes – Young Leopards – Yathin S Krishnappa © 2016 Google Data SIO, NOA, U.S. Navy, NGA, GEBCO Image © 2016 Terra Metrics Credit: Marko Sillanpaa If this project were to continue … Observations – Our project was done in winter. Temperature was 80° at noon during first observations with many sightings. Next session was 50° at 8:30 with minimal sightings starting at 10:00 am. Trapping – Cage didn’t appear to work and Agamas were happy to take bait once it drifted out of the trap. No response on bottles even when placed with live bait frequented areas. May need clear traps. Actively saw feeding on live and free-dried meal worm. No evidence of interest to crickets or berries. Observed trying to catch a butterfly. Advocacy – There’s not a lot of knowledge about these animals but there are people wanting to learn and possibly take action. Lessons learned … Ken’s First Rule – Always, always have written permission. Once you have it don’t trust that everyone’s on the same page. Biological Controls https://youtu.be/3epdd-r3-vk?t=21 Wagner Machado Carlos Lemes (Goiânia, Brazil) Collection During Hibernation (Brumation) A species of Agama (Agama stellio stellio) hibernates. Those kept at pets are told to be kept at 50° during hibernation. Perform collections during this time period as Agamas are inactive. Soak (with cold water) known rocky habitats to induce further temperature drops. Zeynel Cebeci EDD MapS and IveGot1 Citizen Science reporting of invasive flora and fauna. https://www.eddmaps.org/florida/ Florida Fish and Wildlife – Exotic Pet Amnesty Program Place for adoption and adopt exotic pets. http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/amnesty-program/ Advocacy – Stop the Invasion Promote the remove the distribution of exotic reptiles from below the freeze zone. At least two distributors in the state of Florida. No reported escapes. Lizards in cold climates like common collared lizard (Crotaphytus collaris) Credit: Marko Sillanpaa Credit: Marko Sillanpaa Citations • Anderson, David, (2010), Fauna – Agama Lizard, David Anderson Safaris (website), • http://www.davidandersonsafaris.com/fauna/wildlife/agama_lizard/agama_lizard.html • Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, Non-Native Species Reptiles • http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/reptiles/african-redhead-agama/ • http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/reptiles/brown-anole/ • http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/reptiles/northern-curleytail-lizard/ • Hilgris, R., (2000), "Agama agama" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. • http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Agama_agama/ • Kaplan, Melissa, Agamas, Melissa Kaplan’s Herp Care Collection, • http://www.anapsid.org/agamas.html • Loumbourdis, N. S., (1984) Hibernation of the lizard Agama stellio stellio in Northern Greece. • The Mapala Research Center, Field Guide, Mapala Live! • http://mpalalive.org/field_guide/red_headed_rock_agama • Stroud, James, (April 9, 2014), Anolis lizard predation in south Florida, Up With Climate (blog), • https://upwithclimate.wordpress.com/2014/04/09/anolis-lizard-predation-in-south-florida/ Curlytail Lizard Leiocephalus carinatus Native to the Bahamas. Intentionally released in 1940’s to rid sugar cane fields of insect pests. Also part of the pet trade. Credit: Marko Sillanpaa Males may reach 11” Credit: Marko Sillanpaa Brown Anole Anolis sagrei Native to the Bahamas. Accidentally released in 1930’s around seaports. Males reach 8” Credit: Marko Sillanpaa Credit: Marko Sillanpaa