Galliwasps Alligator Lizards and Relatives: Anguidae

According to the World Conservation Union (IUCN), one species is Extinct, which means that it is no longer in existence. This species, the Jamaica giant galliwasp, was last seen in 1840. It probably disappeared because people brought new species, including the mongoose, to Jamaica to kill rats. The mongoose, however, also eats galliwasps and probably played a role in their extinction. In addition, the IUCN names three species as Critically Endangered, which means they face an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild; one species as Endangered, which means it faces a very high risk of extinction in the wild, and one species as Vulnerable, which means it faces a high risk of extinction in the wild. These and other unlisted species are threatened by habitat destruction, particularly in such small places as the islands of the West Indies. The IUCN also lists three species as Data Deficient, which means that scientists have too little information to make a judgment about the threat of extinction.