Caribicus warreni

Caribicus warreni, commonly known as the Haitian giant galliwasp or the Hispaniolan giant galliwasp, is a species of lizard in the family Diploglossidae. The species is endemic to the island of Hispaniola.

Taxonomy

It was formerly classified in the genus Celestus, but was moved to Caribicus in 2021.

The specific name, warreni, is in honor of Mr. C. Rhea Warren who collected herpetological specimens on Île de la Tortue.

C. warreni is found in both the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

True to its common name, C. warreni is a large anguid, weighing in at.

The natural habitat of C. warreni are Hispaniolan moist forests underneath leaf litter and forest debris.

The giant Hispaniolan galliwasp is an opportunistic predator that feed on insects, earthworms, small mammals, and other reptiles.

C. warreni is threatened by habitat loss, predation by invasive species, and collection for the illegal pet trade. Persecution is also an issue; the galliwasp is erroneously believed to be venomous by locals, and is often killed on sight across the island.