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Spread of the Invasive Brown Basilisk, Basiliscus vittatus, in Florida

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Date Issued:
2019
Abstract/Description:
The brown basilisk, Basiliscus vittatus, is large lizard native to coastal lowlands from central Mexico to Ecuador. In 1976, this species was first discovered in southern Florida, and it has been spreading since. My thesis documents the spread of B. vittatus through southern Florida using published and unpublished records. I mapped a total of 545 records of B. vittatus in Florida: 73 from published records, 15 from my own observations, and 457 from photographs uploaded to iNaturalist. Published reports of B. vittatus have been reported from 11 Florida counties (Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, Monroe, Collier, Lee, Hendry, and Manatee). In addition, there have been additional unpublished photographic records uploaded to iNaturalist from two more counties (Pinellas and Brevard). These additions expand the known northern range of B. vittatus on both the East and West coasts of Florida.
Title: Spread of the Invasive Brown Basilisk, Basiliscus vittatus, in Florida.
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Name(s): Wallington, John , author
Wetterer, James , Thesis advisor
Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Thesis
Date Created: 2019
Date Issued: 2019
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Jupiter, Florida
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 10 p.
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: The brown basilisk, Basiliscus vittatus, is large lizard native to coastal lowlands from central Mexico to Ecuador. In 1976, this species was first discovered in southern Florida, and it has been spreading since. My thesis documents the spread of B. vittatus through southern Florida using published and unpublished records. I mapped a total of 545 records of B. vittatus in Florida: 73 from published records, 15 from my own observations, and 457 from photographs uploaded to iNaturalist. Published reports of B. vittatus have been reported from 11 Florida counties (Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, Monroe, Collier, Lee, Hendry, and Manatee). In addition, there have been additional unpublished photographic records uploaded to iNaturalist from two more counties (Pinellas and Brevard). These additions expand the known northern range of B. vittatus on both the East and West coasts of Florida.
Identifier: FAUHT00131 (IID)
Degree granted: Thesis (B.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, 2019.
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Sublocation: Digital Library
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUHT00131
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.

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