Central American whiptail (Holcosus festivus)

Another beautiful animal from out hike along the Bananito River in Caribbeam Costa Rica, 2014.
Note: Listed in older literature as Ameiva festiva.

According to my field guide (Amphibians and Reptiles of Costa Rica, Federico Muñoz Chacón & Richard Dennis Johnston, 2013), this would be a juvenile specimen because of the blue tail (dark in adults).


About the family, my field guide writes:
”The Teiids are robust lizards with pointed heads and large eyes. Their heads are covered with large plates; their bodies bear much smaller scales. Costa Rican species have long bodies and long, evenly tapered, whiplike tails. They are fast, but when not in motion, habitually bask in sunny spots. Terrestrial and diurnal.”

This lizard basically checks out on all aspects described above :)