FLORIDA — Central Florida officials are warning residents about the growing number of an invasive lizard species spreading throughout the region.
A Portuguese man-of-war warning has been issued in Myrtle Beach after strong currents washed the venomous wildlife ashore.
The northern brush-tailed lizard, also known as Leiocephalus carinatus, is native to the Bahamas and has been established in South Florida since the 1930s. However, this species is now spreading further north.
According to our affiliate FOX 35 Orlando, herpetologists say the species is now spreading throughout much of Central Florida.
«"They're becoming quite common across much of Central Florida now as they start to move up the peninsula," Dr. Matthew Atkinson, a herpetologist at the University of Central Florida, told FOX 35. "They're likely here to stay for a long time.".
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Researchers said the invasive lizards can grow up to 30 centimeters in length and are known to shed their tails as a defense mechanism to escape predators.
These lizards are typically found near concrete and rocky areas, including parking lots and sidewalks.
Officials are most concerned about the potential impact of these invasive species on local wildlife and ecosystems.
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Northern curl-tailed lizards prey on native species, primarily the Carolina green anole. They are known to feed on smaller lizards and their eggs and may compete with native anoles for common habitat.
Although Carolina green anoles can survive in higher trees, away from the curl-tailed lizard's typical range, they still lay eggs on the ground, placing them directly within the invasive species' territory.
Curl-tailed lizards also prey on other invasive species in Florida, including brown anoles.
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«"We're seeing a kind of invasive species violence, if you will, where they actually become predators of brown anoles, which are also an invasive species and are spreading rapidly across the state," Atkinson said.
Fortunately, officials say the species poses no threat to humans.
Conservationists are urging residents to kill invasive Argentine tegus, which spread diseases.
However, conservation officials encourage residents to report sightings of the invasive lizard to help monitor its spread throughout Florida.
Original article: This invasive lizard species is threatening the ecosystem as it spreads across Central Florida.