Below these are a series of narrow brown, black and white vertical stripes, which extend from the sides down to the stomach.

The stomach is white with bright blue markings (males), and the rest of the underside is a deep pinkish-red hue.

It eats virtually any prey item, including berries, amphipods, moths, ants and small hermit crabs.

Once found on St. Croix, the population was extirpated, likely due to habitat loss and the introduction of the small Indian mongoose to the island in the 1880s.

Efforts to save this species include two translocation projects to mongoose-free offshore islands around St. Croix.