The most common group of the reptile class are lizards, of which there are almost six thousand species. They differ in size, color and habits. Even if we do not take into account the fact that new species of lizards are regularly discovered, the names and photos of all animals of this suborder would still not be possible to fit into one article. Let's get acquainted only with the most interesting and unusual representatives of this group.
Lizard: description
Usually all reptiles with legs are considered lizards, but they also include several without legs. There are a lot of species of lizards; according to zoologists, more than 6,000 different species of lizards live on our planet, and all of them, of course, differ in their habits, appearance, color and habitat. Some of the especially exotic species of lizards are currently on the verge of extinction and for this reason are listed in the Red Book.
The most common real lizard has a body length of 10-40 cm. The lizard's body is long, elastic, elongated and has a long tail.
Unlike their snake relatives, lizards have movable and divided eyelids. The lizard's paws are of medium length, have claws and are generally proportional to its body covered with keratinized scales. The lizard's skin peels off during molting a couple of times per season; in some languages of the world, this amazing feature of these reptiles to change their skin even gave them their name. In particular, in our language the word “lizard” comes from the Old Russian word “skora”, which means “skin”, or “skin” if more literary.
The lizard's tongue, depending on the species, has a different shape and size; in general, it is mobile and easily protrudes from the mouth. And some lizards even use their tongues to catch fish.
Lizards' teeth are also their weapons; with their help, they capture and grind food, and monitor lizards have sharp teeth that literally cut prey. There is also a single poisonous representative among lizards, named accordingly - the poisonous tooth, which, with a bite like snakes, injects poison into its victim, thus killing it.
The skin of a lizard can have a variety of colors and patterns, depending on the species.
The color (color) of the lizard also differs, which many species are able to change depending on the situation, sometimes literally merging with the surrounding area - color mimicry is one of their main means of defense. Typically, lizards have a combination of gray, brown and green colors.
Chameleons
We all know that these tree dwellers can change their body color to suit their surroundings. This occurs due to the special properties of the skin. It contains pigments of different colors in special branched cells - chromatophores. And, depending on their reduction, the pigment grains are redistributed, creating the “right” shade.
The picture is completed by the refraction of light rays on the surface of the skin containing guanine, a substance that gives a silvery-pearl shade. The usual body length is up to 30 cm, only the largest ones grow beyond 50 cm. They live in Africa, the Middle East, southern Europe and India.
They have been spotted in California, Florida and Hawaii. Yemen and panther chameleons (inhabitants of Madagascar) are often bred at home The first ones are considered the largest in the family, reaching 60 cm. Sun spots are scattered on the green “lawn” of the sides.
The head is decorated with a crest. The rigid tail with a transverse stripe is twisted into a ring at the end. The latter grow up to 52 cm, have a beautiful bright emerald color with patterns and spots. They can change shades to brick red. They love warm, humid climates. They live in captivity for up to 4 years.
Appearance
There is no uniformity in the appearance of lizards, with the exception of the background coloring of the body, designed to camouflage the reptile among its native landscape. Most of the lizards are colored green, gray, brown, olive, sand or black, whose monotony is enlivened by various patterns (spots, stains, diamonds, longitudinal/transverse stripes).
There are also very noticeable lizards - the long-eared round-headed lizard with a scarlet open mouth, the bearded dragon, and colorful (yellow and orange) flying dragons. The size of the scales varies (from small to large), as does the way they are laid on the body: overlapping, like a tile roof, or end to end, like tiles. Sometimes the scales transform into spines or ridges.
In some reptiles, such as skinks, the skin gains special strength from osteoderms, bony plates that are located inside the horny scales. The jaws of lizards are lined with teeth, and in some species, teeth even grow on the palatine bones.
This is interesting! The methods for attaching teeth to the oral cavity vary. Pleurodont teeth are periodically replaced and therefore do not sit firmly on the inside of the bone, unlike acrodont teeth, which are not replaced and completely fuse with the bone.
Only three species of lizards have acrodont teeth - amphisbaenas (two-walkers), agamas and chameleons. The limbs of reptiles are also structured differently, which is due to their way of life, adapted to a certain type of earth’s surface. In most climbing species, geckos, anoles and some skinks, the underside of the fingers is transformed into a pad with setae (hair-like outgrowths of the epidermis). Thanks to them, the reptile tenaciously holds onto any vertical surfaces and quickly crawls upside down.
Lifestyle, behavior
Lizards primarily lead a terrestrial lifestyle; they can burrow into the sand (roundheads), crawl onto bushes/trees and even live there, from time to time embarking on gliding flights. Geckos (not all) and agamas easily move along steep surfaces and often inhabit rocks.
Some species with an elongated body and the absence of eyes have adapted to existence in the soil, others, for example, the sea lizard, love water, so they live on the coasts and often refresh themselves in the sea.
Some reptiles are active during daylight hours, while others (usually with a slit-like pupil) are active at dusk and at night. Some people can change their color/brightness due to the dispersion or concentration of pigment in melanophores, special skin cells.
This is interesting! Many lizards have retained the parietal “third eye”, inherited from their ancestors: it is not capable of perceiving form, but distinguishes between darkness and light. The eye on the crown is sensitive to ultraviolet radiation and regulates hours of sun exposure and other forms of behavior.
Contrary to popular belief that most lizards are poisonous, only two closely related reptiles from the family of lizards have this ability - the escorpion (Heloderma horridum), which lives in Mexico, and the vest (Heloderma suspectum), which inhabits the southwestern United States. All lizards molt from time to time, renewing the outer layer of skin.
Features of character and lifestyle
Typically, lizards are characterized by a terrestrial lifestyle, but some species prefer to climb various vegetation and live in trees, while others prefer to bury themselves in the sand. Some lizards, like geckos and agamas, are skilled at moving on smooth surfaces, which is why they are often found among rocks.
Some representatives of reptiles are capable of gliding in flight, due to which they thus move from one tree to another.
There are lizards that have a rather long body and prefer to live in the soil. For example, the sea lizard chooses to live on the coast and often appears in the sea.
All reptiles differ in their activity schedules: for some, the daytime lifestyle is considered more common, while for others it is night or twilight. Most of the predators are diurnal, going out to hunt as dawn approaches. Reptiles are cold-blooded, which is why they do not tolerate temperature changes well. The rays of the scorching sun, from which they have to hide in the shade of vegetation, are also not suitable for their skin.
Some members of the family have a “third eye” located in the parietal region. Despite its inability to distinguish shapes, it is good at detecting light levels. Also, such a “third eye” is characterized by the ability to regulate the duration of exposure to the sun due to sensitive perception of the influence of ultraviolet rays.
Lizards have a calm character: they prefer not to enter into fights or alliances. Most of all, they like a solitary life without contact even with their relatives. The only time when lizards can come together is the mating season. Moreover, such contacts are not limited only to the need to conceive offspring. Thus, males wage fierce battles among themselves for the possibility of possessing a female and territory.
Question to the expert
How do lizards winter in the wild?
With the arrival of cold weather, the body temperature of reptiles begins to decrease, making it difficult to obtain food, which forces the lizards to reduce their natural activity. Lizards spend the winter in the same way as other animals by hibernating. However, they do this not like ordinary reptiles, but rather like squirrels or birds. Thus, lizards collect dry branches and leaves, from which they subsequently build their own nest. Preparation for wintering begins at the end of September and lasts until mid-October. They usually create burrows themselves, placing them close to tree roots and old stumps. In the absence of such an opportunity on the landscape, reptiles are engaged in digging holes on their own at a depth of 15-20 cm underground. In addition, they can adapt rodent burrows, cracks in the ground, summer cottages, etc. for their purposes. The main thing is that the hole is warm and dry enough. At the same time, unlike other animals, lizards can quickly switch to an active lifestyle, so terrarium lovers are not always able to observe the classic hibernation of their pets.
How are snakes different from lizards?
Those types of lizards that do not have legs are almost the same in appearance as snakes. Such lizards include, for example, the copperhead, which many take for a snake, although in fact it is a lizard that simply does not have legs. But how can one distinguish such a legless lizard from real snakes?
- The first difference between snakes and lizards is their eyelids. In snakes, the eyelids have grown together and become transparent, for this reason snakes never blink. In lizards, on the contrary, the eyelids are movable and blinking is in the order of things.
- A snake does not have hearing organs, but a lizard has them; on both sides of its head there are ear openings closed by eardrums.
- Molting of both snakes and lizards occurs differently, snakes try to shed their skin in one fell swoop, after soaking in water, while lizards shed gradually, shedding their skin in pieces.
Earless monitor lizards
They live in Borneo (Kalimantan). The color is reddish-brown, with brown longitudinal stripes. The tail is long and narrow, making up half the length of the entire half-meter body. There is no external ear opening. This is a very rare species of lizard . Now there are no more than 100 individuals left.
How to distinguish a newt from a lizard?
Also, sometimes lizards are confused with newts, and, of course, they have a lot in common: similar structure of paws and body, snake-like head, long rounded tail, movable eyelids and much more. But there are still a number of differences between it:
- The most important difference is the different structure of the skin; if lizards have scaly skin, then in newts it is completely smooth and slimy to the touch.
- Newts do not know how to throw off their tail, while lizards easily and simply get rid of this part of their body in case of danger.
- Lizards have a hard and ossified skull, while newts have a cartilaginous skull.
- While lizards breathe exclusively through their lungs, newts are able to breathe through both their lungs and gills, and even through their skin.
- If lizards reproduce by laying eggs, then newts conduct their reproduction process like fish - in water and through spawning.
Lizard tail. How does a lizard cast its tail?
One of the most amazing and unique features of the lizard is, of course, its ability to throw away its tail in emergency situations, or autotonia as this phenomenon is scientifically called. How does this happen? Contraction of the lizard's tail muscles allows it to break the cartilaginous formations of the vertebrae and thus throw off most of the tail. In this case, the blood vessels are greatly narrowed, and there is practically no blood loss during this procedure. The discarded tail continues to wriggle for some time, thereby distracting the enemy, and the lizard manages to hide during this time. Over time, the lizard's tail grows back, albeit in a somewhat shortened form.
An interesting fact: it also happens that after autotonia, a lizard grows not one, but two or even three tails.
How to distinguish a male from a female lizard?
Male and female lizards look almost the same, although there are a number of signs by which the sex of the lizard can be determined.
- In some species of lizards, such as basilisks and green iguanas, the males have a brightly colored crest on their back.
- Spurs on the paws are another sign of a “man” among lizards.
- You can also determine the sex of a lizard by the throat sacs that some species have.
In general, all methods for determining the sex of a lizard are not perfect, and you can find out for sure whether it is a boy or a girl only through a testosterone test of the lizard’s blood done in a professional veterinary clinic.
Types of domestic lizards
Many exotic species of lizards tolerate life well in captivity. They live several years longer than their wild relatives and bear offspring much more often. The most popular types of pet lizards include:
Bearded dragon
This is one of the most unpretentious reptiles. It is ideal for beginner terrarium keepers who will get great pleasure watching their pet. In the wild, the bearded dragon lives in Australia. For many years, the authorities of the continent strictly controlled the export of this reptile from the country, but it is already quite common to find this lizard on other continents, where it has successfully taken root. The reptile got its name thanks to the spikes and growths around its head; at one time it even bore the proud name “bearded dragon.” The lizard can change color depending on the ambient temperature and its condition.
Real iguana
This large green reptile is known in some circles as the "common." Some specimens reach two meters in length and eight kilograms of total weight. Lizards of this species are completely unpretentious and are loved by terrariumists for their calm nature. Iguanas feed only on plant foods. The most serious requirement for keeping this lizard is the equipment of the terrarium - it must be large and well lit.
Currents
This baby is considered an Asian cuckoo. The spotted gecko can make funny sounds, which, according to legend, bring happiness to the family. Asians always brought this lizard into a new home just like the Russians brought a cat. The gecko eats only plant foods; many owners even let it out of its terrarium to run around the house.
Agama tree
This colorful lizard is ideally suited for life in the trees. It has long claws and the ability to camouflage itself among tropical greenery. Some species are bright blue. Agama is an excellent mimic and can imitate a green leaf and a dry branch equally well. This species is one of the most capricious. It can easily die in captivity if some rules for keeping a reptile are not followed. At first, the agama is very wary of its owners, but then it gets used to it and shows them absolute disregard.
Four-horned chameleon
This lizard is a favorite of professional terrarium keepers. It fits perfectly into any environment, merging with all surrounding objects. This reptile feeds on insects and fresh juicy fruits. Keeping a chameleon requires some skill and dexterity. For example, this lizard does not drink water.
To give it water, you should generously spray the vegetation in the terrarium or install fountains. It is worth keeping in mind that, despite its apparent slowness, the chameleon is a very aggressive lizard. She can even attack her owner.
Lizards are very interesting and unusual pets. Good care and nutrition prolongs their life in captivity to the delight of caring owners.
Domestic reptile species
This group contains lizards that live at home and participate in various exhibitions and other events.
Yemen chameleon
At home, reptiles often get sick and are subject to stress. They require careful and special care. Chameleons are distinguished by their inimitable beauty in appearance. Individuals are capable of changing color. At the beginning of their life, the body has a greenish-light green tint, which is later diluted with wide stripes. The change in color of a reptile depends on its mood and status.
Three-horned chameleon
The pet can also change its color. The second name for the chameleon is “Jackson's lizard.” A peculiarity of the reptile is the presence of three horns, the longest and thickest of which is the central one. Lizards have a strong tail and can move deftly through trees.
Common spiketail
On the outer side of the reptile's tail there are spike-like processes. Lizards can grow up to 75 cm, so in some cases keeping them in the house is very difficult and even impractical. If the spiketail is frightened, it can attack and even bite.
Australian agama
Water-loving lizards have tenacious claws and long limbs, thanks to which they deftly climb trees. The animals grow up to 800 g, they are very careful and dive and swim with ease.
Panther chameleon
This type of lizard is considered one of the cutest and largest. Various colors depend on the habitat. Animals can have scales of blue, red-green, gray-yellow, light green and other colors. Quite often, reptiles curl their tails into a kind of donut. They feed on insects and can live up to 5 years at home.
Fantastic gecko
The most skillful camouflage plant that blends perfectly with the background of the leaves. Lizards have a flat tail, uneven body and brownish, rough scales. This is one of the most suitable reptiles for keeping at home.
frilled lizard
The reptile closely resembles a small dragon. A large fold of skin located on the neck may swell and change color. To enhance the effect, the animal stands on its hind legs. The individual has a gray-brown or bright red body with light and dark spots.
Leopard gecko
A cute lizard with yellow and white scales with spots like a leopard. The abdomen of reptiles is white, the body can reach 25 cm in length. Caring for a lizard at home is quite simple.
Eyelash banana gecko
The owner of a long body, an ideal camouflage. This rare species of reptile is distinguished by its unique “cilia” (skin extensions located above the eye sockets). The animal loves bananas, mangoes, and other fruits.
Green iguana
One of the large, massive and agile lizards, which has small horns on the top of its head. The weight of the animal can reach 9 kg. The iguana has a wide crest on its back. To keep a lizard at home you will need a very large area.
Fire skink
A lizard that is mistaken for a snake. The reptile has a wide body and short legs, which are practically invisible, which is why it seems that the skink is crawling and not walking on the ground. The length of the lizard reaches 35 cm.
Blue tongue skink
A similar species of lizard that has a long, light blue tongue. The animal grows up to 50 cm and has smooth scales.
Black and white tegu
An impressive size reptile, growing up to 1.3 meters. The diurnal predator feeds on rodents, slowly killing its prey. The lizard has large eyes, a pale pink tongue and short limbs.
Water dragon
An amazing lizard that regenerates both limbs and gills. Reptiles come in pink, purple, gray and other colors. The water dragon looks like a fish with sharp teeth that allow it to hold its prey.
Kinds
Currently, scientists identify about 7 thousand species of lizards, united in more than 30 families and 7 independent suborders. Among the most notable families of reptiles are the following.
Agamidae
These are lizards that prefer to lead a diurnal lifestyle and are of medium size. However, among them there are sometimes very tiny individuals. They live in Eurasia, Africa and Australia. They can be found almost everywhere, with the exception of extremely cold areas. Agama lizards can be land-dwelling, water-dwelling, tree-dwelling, or burrow-dwelling.
The most notable representatives of the family include the following lizards:
Spiketails
They live in northern Africa, India and Pakistan. They have a wide body, the size of which can reach up to 75 cm. The head is slightly flattened, the tail is thick and has spikes, which determines the name of the species. The color of the spiketails resembles dark sand or clay in appearance.
Frilled lizards
These species live in Australia and New Guinea. In this area, all names associated with frilled lizards include the word "dragon", such as tropical dragon or bearded dragon (lizards may have darkened lower jaws due to stress, becoming beard-like). Frilled lizards have a menacing appearance due to a collar-shaped fold that can rise in moments of excitement. The red-terracotta color, sharp claws and teeth create a threatening impression and repeat the appearance of the “dragon”.
Spiny Devil
The lizards received this name in honor of the pagan deity, to whom people made human sacrifices for a long time. The lizard's body is completely covered with curved spines. Those located above the eyes resemble horns in appearance. Like chameleons, the spiny devil can change color to suit its mood. The lizard's body size is approximately 20 cm.
Water dragons
These are lizards that live in Southeast Asia, China, Cambodia, etc. From Greek, their name can be translated as “swollen jaw,” but in the modern world they are better known as “water dragons.” This is due to their ability to stay underwater for a long time and use their tail for swimming. Such individuals are considered a fairly popular species for home keeping.
Chameleons
Chameleons are characterized primarily by their unique ability to change body color, which is due to the special properties of their skin. The skin contains various colored pigments that are located in chromatophore cells. In addition, the refraction of light on the skin, which contains guanine, adds color diversity to chameleons.
The standard body length of these reptiles does not exceed 30 cm. However, there are really large chameleons that can reach a size of 50 cm. Africa, the Middle East, and the southern part of Europe become characteristic habitats for chameleons. Yemen and panther chameleons are often chosen for home keeping.
Iguanas
Lizards live in America and are found in the Caribbean and Galapagos. The largest among them are considered true iguanas, capable of growing up to 2 meters in length. They are characterized by the presence of pleurodotic teeth attached to the jaw bones. Moreover, unlike acrodont teeth, fallen pleurodont teeth can eventually be restored.
Collared
Representatives of this species are considered to be inhabitants of North America. They do not have most of the characteristic features of the infraorder Iguanaiformes. For example, collared lizards lack a longitudinal stripe on the back, a throat pouch, and scales in the ears and fingers. The presence of such significant branches led to the decision to allocate collared chameleons into a separate family, separating it from the iguanas. A characteristic feature of this species is the presence of a bright collar, due to which the lizards received their name.
Masks
This is a peculiar monotypic family living in the eastern part of India, and is also found in Florida. Masked lizards can twist their tail into a spiral. They got their name due to the wide black stripe that runs from the nose to the eyes, which resembles a kind of mask. A typical representative of the family is the masked iguana, which can be seen in Haiti.
Anolis
Representatives of this species live in America, as well as in the Caribbean. They have a rather small and slender body that looks like young grass. All lizards have rather long fingers. Males have a throat pouch, which they use during the mating season to attract females or in times of danger to scare away the enemy. Anole lizards are characterized by the ability to change color.
Corytophanidae
Lizards live in the central part of North America, as well as in the territories of South America. They have a different, more “popular” name - helmet, which is due to the specific structure of the lizards’ head. Corytophanids are capable of developing good running speeds - up to 12 km/h.
Gecko
Geckos differ from other lizards by their specific karyotype and the presence of a characteristic muscle in the ear area. They lack bony temporal arches. Also, a significant part of geckos have tenacious and rather long fingers, on which small hairs are located. This anatomical feature allows you to easily move on various vertical surfaces.
Wild reptiles
Among the lizards living in the wild are:
Fast lizard
The fast lizard comes in gray, green and brown colors and can throw off its tail. Small animals are very dexterous and quick, and can eat their own offspring.
Proboscis anole
The proboscis anole is a rare species of nocturnal lizard that resembles a crocodile due to its long, elephant-like nose. Reptiles are light green or brown-green in color.
Worm-like lizard
Worm-shaped lizard - a reptile similar to an earthworm; there are no limbs on the animal’s body. It crawls along the ground, its eyes hidden under the skin.
Komodo dragon
The Komodo dragon is the largest reptile, reaching a mass of 60 kg and a length of 2.5 meters. The lizard's bite is poisonous and can lead to dire consequences.
Tree agama
The tree agama is a lizard that climbs trees thanks to its sharp claws and tenacious paws. The body of reptiles is gray or olive in color, the tail is yellow-gray.
Gecko currents
The current gecko is a lizard with a strong body that is covered with gray and blue scales. Individuals grow up to 30 cm, feed on insects and small vertebrate animals.
Ring-tailed iguana
Ring-tailed iguana - features of the lizard are a long tail, light scales with dark stripes, thick scales on the face that resemble horns.
Other notable lizard species include the marine iguana, Arizona adobe, lobe-tailed gecko, spindle-tailed skink and monkey-tailed skink.
Scalefoot
Legless reptiles, very similar to snakes. However, they do not make hissing sounds, but clicking sounds. The largest ones grow up to 1.2 m, the small ones – up to 15 cm. They range from straw to peat in color. They live mainly in Australia and New Guinea. The infraorder skinks also includes 7 families
The largest lizard in the world is the Komodo dragon
Of the existing representatives of lizards, the largest is the Komodo monitor lizard (giant Indonesian monitor lizard, Komodos monitor). Some specimens are striking in their size, reaching almost three meters in length and weighing 80-85 kg at maturity. By the way, the Guinness Book of Records includes a “dragon” from Komodo Island, which weighed 91.7 kg. These giants eagerly eat small animals - turtles, lizards, snakes, rodents, and do not disdain impressively sized prey. The Komodo dragon often feeds on wild boars, wild goats, cattle, deer or horses.
Skinks
This order includes 7 families. It is noteworthy that they include lizards of completely different shapes and sizes. Some skinks can reach one and a half meters in length and weigh up to 5 kilograms.
The most famous representatives of this infraorder are the Crimean lizards. They live in Moldova, the Republic of Crimea, the Ionian Islands and the Balkan Peninsula. The body length of this animal does not exceed 20 centimeters. The body of these reptiles is green or brown with rows of spots of a darker shade. A distinctive feature of these reptiles is their ability to shed their tail and grow a new one.
Sense organs
The eyes of reptiles, depending on the species, differ in a greater or lesser degree of development: all diurnal lizards have large eyes, while burrowing species are small, degenerate and covered with scales. Many people have a movable scaly eyelid (lower), sometimes with a transparent “window” occupying a large area of the eyelid, which grows to the upper edge of the eye (which is why it sees as if through glass).
This is interesting! Some geckos, skinks and other lizards have such “glasses”, whose unblinking gaze resembles that of a snake. Reptiles with movable eyelids have a third eyelid, a nictitating membrane that looks like a transparent film that moves from side to side.
Those lizards that have openings in the external auditory canals with eardrums catch sound waves with a frequency of 400–1500 Hz . The rest, with non-working (clogged with scales or completely disappeared) auditory openings perceive sounds worse than their “eared” relatives.
A key role in the life of lizards is played by the Jacobson organ, located in the front part of the palate and consisting of 2 chambers connected to the oral cavity by a pair of holes. The Jacobson organ identifies the composition of a substance that enters the mouth or is in the air. The mediator is the protruding tongue, the tip of which the reptile moves towards the Jacobson's organ, designed to determine the proximity of food or danger. The lizard's reaction depends entirely on the verdict rendered by the Jacobson organ.
Where do lizards live?
Lizards can be found everywhere, as they live in all corners of the Earth, excluding Antarctica. These reptiles settled throughout Asia and Europe, starting from the Arctic Circle, where the climate is moderated by the presence of warm ocean currents. At the same time, lizards prefer warm climates. Most often they are found in steppes, meadows, forests and deserts located in any part of the world.
Lizards can also be found at altitudes different in relation to sea level. For example, in the Himalayas, reptiles live at an altitude of up to 5 km above sea level. They do well in rocky and mountainous areas. The reptiles common in Russia are among the true lizards, which can be found almost everywhere: in fields, gardens, mountains, near water bodies.
Helmeted Basilisk in water
Each type of lizard is characterized by the ability to quickly move across various surfaces, deftly holding on to various bulges and irregularities. For example, rock species of lizards can not only move deftly through the mountains, but also make long jumps of up to 4 meters.
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Question to the expert
What is the lifespan of lizards?
The average lifespan of lizards varies depending on their species and size. So, for example, for small reptiles this figure is 1-3 years, while large iguanas and monitor lizards can live more than 50 years. In captivity, lizards can live up to 20-30 years.
What do lizards eat in the wild?
Lizards are omnivores; after all, they are predators and their diet directly depends on the type and size of a particular lizard. Small lizards eat various insects: butterflies, grasshoppers, locusts, snails, and various worms. Larger lizards, for example, monitor lizards, hunt various small animals: frogs, snakes, mice, and do not mind eating bird eggs. And the largest lizards, monitor lizards from Komoda Island, even attack wild boars, buffalos and deer.
Lizards first sneak up on their prey unnoticed, then make a swift dash and overtake it with their claws and sharp teeth.
Since lizards are omnivores, they can also eat vegetarian food - plant pollen, ripe fruits, tree leaves. There are species of lizards that lead a completely vegetarian lifestyle, but most lizards still like to eat meat.
Gecko-like
This is an infraorder of reptiles, which includes seven families, which include about a thousand species. A common feature of this type of lizard is the muscle located in the ear area. In addition, the order is characterized by the absence of a zygomatic arch.
The most famous representative of the gecko-like species is the green felsuma. This animal is the largest in its order. Its length can reach more than thirty centimeters. The reptile's body is painted in a bright light green color. The reptile spends the main part of its life in trees. There it feeds on ripe fruits and various insects.
Reproduction
During the mating season, males of many lizard species acquire bright colors. They are characterized by peculiar courtship games, during which the male demonstrates bright body color in front of the female, taking specific “courtship” poses, to which the female responds with certain signaling body movements, consisting, for example, of swaying or trembling of the raised front legs and wriggling of the tail.
The vast majority of lizards lay eggs, the number of which in one clutch ranges from 1-2 in the smallest species to 8-20 in medium-sized ones and several dozen in large lizards. The eggs are enclosed in a thin, moisture-permeable, colorless, leathery shell that can stretch during embryo development. Usually the female lays her eggs in a hole or shallow hole, then covering it with soil. Eggs are often laid under stones, in rock cracks, in hollows or under the bark of trees, in wood dust, and by some geckos they are glued to tree trunks and branches.
A minority of lizards are ovoviviparous. Their eggs, devoid of a dense shell, develop inside the mother’s body, and the cubs are born alive, freeing themselves from the thin film that covers them in the oviducts or immediately after birth. True viviparity has been established only in some skinks and American night lizards Xanthusia, the embryos of which receive nutrition through the false placenta - blood vessels in the walls of the mother's oviducts. Viviparity is usually associated with harsh living conditions, for example, living in the far north or high in the mountains.
In most cases, having laid eggs, the female never returns to them, and the developing embryos are left to their own devices. Real care for the offspring is observed only in some skinks and spindles, the females of which wrap themselves around the laid eggs, periodically turn them over, protect them from enemies, help the young free themselves from the shell and, remaining with them for the first time after hatching, give them food and protect them in case of danger .
Some species of lizards lay eggs with almost fully developed embryos, so the young can hatch within the next few days. By the time of hatching from the egg, the embryos develop a special egg tooth in the front corner of the mouth, with which, shaking its head, the young lizard, like a razor, cuts a gap in the egg shell to exit. Recently, the phenomenon of so-called parthenogenesis has been discovered in a number of lizards, when females lay unfertilized eggs in which normal offspring develop. There are no males during parthenogenesis, and such species are represented only by females.
Features of reproduction
The number of matings in lizards depends on their size. Large reptiles breed only once a year, while small ones are able to mate several times per season.
Males often fight for females. If one of them is larger, then the smaller one soon leaves the battlefield. When both fighters are in equal weight classes, then serious bloodshed can escalate. The winning male receives a female as a reward.
Can lay up to 18 eggs
In some species, the sex ratio is disrupted, but the lizards do not disappear. The fact is that females begin to lay eggs without the participation of males - this is the so-called parthenogenesis.
Lizards reproduce in two ways: with eggs and viviparity. Small species lay up to 18 eggs at a time. Large reptiles lay only a few pieces.
In most cases, females hide their clutches in the ground, sand, under stones or in the burrows of rodents they have killed. The period of egg maturation lasts from several weeks to 1.5 months. After the babies appear, the female loses all interest in them. Young lizards begin to live an independent life.
Pregnancy in viviparous species lasts 3 months. As a rule, the gestation period occurs in winter. The young are born in winter.
In this video you will learn more about lizards:
Population and species status
Due to the large number of species, we will focus only on those included in the Red Book of Russia:
- medium lizard – Lacerta media;
- Przewalski's foot-and-mouth disease – Eremias przewalskii;
- Far Eastern skink – Eumeces latiscutatus;
- gray gecko – Cyrtopodion russowi;
- barbour foot-and-mouth disease – Eremias argus barbouri;
- Squeaky gecko – Alsophylax pipiens.
In the most dangerous position on the territory of the Russian Federation is the gray gecko, with its habitat in Art. Starogladkovskaya (Chechen Republic). Despite the high number in the world, the gray gecko has not been found in our country after 1935.
This is interesting! Barbour's foot-and-mouth disease is also rare in Russia, despite the high numbers in some places: near Ivolginsk (Buryatia) in 1971, 15 individuals were counted in an area of 10 * 200 m. The species is protected in the Daursky State Nature Reserve.
Population of the Far Eastern skink on the island. Kunashir numbers several thousand individuals. The species is protected in the Kuril Nature Reserve, but places with the maximum number of lizards are located outside the reserve. In the Astrakhan region, the number of squeaky geckos has decreased. Przewalski's foot-and-mouth disease occurs sporadically in the Russian Federation, more often on the periphery of its range. There are also a small number of medium-sized lizards, whose Black Sea populations suffer from excessive recreational pressure.
Skinks
They live everywhere except Antarctica. They have smooth fish-like scales. The temporal arches are well developed. Among them there are such striking representatives as blue-tongued skinks - gigantic or tiliqua. They live in Australia and the islands of Oceania.
Their size is not so impressive - up to 50 cm. But the body is very wide and powerful. An individual touch is a wide tongue of deep blue color. Perhaps these are the consequences of the diet. They prefer to eat shellfish and plants.
Among skinks, there are species with unusual eyes - with a transparent window on the lower eyelid. They always see, even when they close their eyes. And gologlaz have transparent eyelids fused together, like snakes. These “lenses” allow them to absolutely not blink.
Members of the family represent a smooth transition to legless forms - from normally developed limbs and five fingers to shortened and reduced variants, and finally, completely legless. There are short-tailed, prehensile-tailed and spiny-tailed species, as well as semi-aquatic, floral and desert species.
In the Russian Federation live:
The long-legged skink is found in Central Asia, Eastern Transcaucasia and southeast Dagestan. Up to 25 cm in size, movable eyelids, very brittle tail. The color is brownish-olive with grey. Bright and variegated longitudinal stripes are visible on the sides.
Far Eastern skink, resident of the Kuril and Japanese islands. Olive-gray in color with a bluish-pearl long tail. Included in the Red Book of Russia.
Fusiformes – 3 families
Veretenitaceae
Among them there are crawling, snake-like ones, and ordinary ones - on four five-toed paws. All scales are supported by bone plates called osteoderms. Some have stretchable folds of skin on their sides, which make it easier for them to breathe and swallow food. Unlike snakes, they have movable eyelids and auditory openings. The jaws are strong, the teeth are dull. There are viviparous species.
In the Russian Federation live:
- The brittle spindle or slow spindle is a legless lizard up to 50-60 cm long. Its shape resembles a spindle. The color is reddish-gray or brown, or bronze-copper, for which it received its second name.
- The yellowtail or capercaillie is also a legless lizard. Or rather, there are still hind limbs, but they represent very small tubercles near the anus. It can reach 1.5 m in length. The head is tetrahedral, with a pointed muzzle. The color is olive-gray with brick tones.
Monitor lizards - now there are 3 families left
What to feed your lizard at home?
And many exotic species of lizards are very popular terrarium animals, among them the Yemen chameleon, bearded agama, true iguana and others. With proper care, lizards reproduce well and feel at ease. But if you decide to get a pet lizard, then you will be faced with the question of how to properly feed such an exotic pet.
Fortunately, the lizard is not whimsical in terms of food intake; in the warm season it needs to be fed three times a day, and in winter, due to the low activity of the lizard itself, it can be fed only twice a day. Well, mealworms, grasshoppers, spiders, fresh chicken eggs and pieces of raw meat are suitable food for the lizard. They say that lizards are very fond of a mixture of chopped boiled chicken, grated carrots and lettuce. It is also very important that the lizard always has fresh drinking water in its terrarium.
Real lizards
They live in Europe and Asia, as well as Japan, Indonesia and Africa. There are several species living in the United States (wall lizards). In the Russian Federation live: Alpine, rock, Caucasian, Dagestan, Artvinskaya, meadow, Georgian lizards, as well as foot-and-mouth lizards - Mongolian, multi-colored, ocellated, Gobi, fast, quick, medium, striped, slender snakehead, Amur and Korean long-tailed lizard, viviparous lizard.
The latter species is distributed even to the polar regions, as it is less susceptible to cold. For the winter, they go underground to a depth of 40 cm. They swim well. Small teeth are not able to chew protein foods, so they swallow worms, insects and snails whole.
Interesting facts about lizards
- Basilisk lizards are able to move on water. And this is not a biblical miracle, but a physical law of nature; movement through the water is achieved by quickly and very often moving the lizard’s hind limbs.
- Lizards, like many other animals, are color blind, but unlike many of them, who see the world around them in black and white, lizards look at it through orange glasses in the most literal sense - they see the whole world as different shades of orange.
- Colombian gourmets consider the eggs of some lizards to be the greatest delicacy. There they even specially catch pregnant female monitor lizards and iguanas, cut their belly, take out the eggs, rub wood ash into the wound itself, after which the female is released, and the eggs end up on the dinner table.
CHAMELEON: LIFESTYLE, HABITAT, PHOTO, SPECIES, REPRODUCTION, HUNTING
IGUANA: CARE AND MAINTENANCE AT HOME, PHOTO, DESCRIPTION
THE MOST POISONOUS SNAKES IN RUSSIA: DESCRIPTION, PHOTO
HORNED VIPER: CONTENT IN A TERRARIUM, PHOTO, DESCRIPTION, FOOD
Orders of reptiles
Biologists divide all lizards into 6 orders, each of which includes about thirty families. The orders of reptiles are:
- Skink-like. The order is distinguished by rich species diversity. It includes real lizards, widely represented in Russia, but most species live in tropical areas of the planet. Skink-like reptiles are found in South America and Africa, Madagascar and Cuba. Some varieties were discovered by scientists in the Sahara Desert.
- Iguanas. This order includes 14 families of reptiles. The most famous of these is the chameleon, found in South America and Madagascar.
- Gecko-like. Reptiles belonging to this order are considered rare. It includes lizards that do not have legs. They are found in Australia.
- Fusiform. These include monitor lizards.
- Worm-like lizards. These are the so-called scale insects. Externally, reptiles look more like huge earthworms. They can be found in the tropical rainforests of Indochina, Indonesia and Mexico.
- Monitor lizards. These lizards are very large. Their weight often exceeds 5 kg. There are a lot of legends about them.
There is only one type of poisonous lizard - the poisonous lizard. When attacking their prey, they not only bite it, but also inject dangerous poison under the skin.
Some species can be pets
