Black lizard with yellow spots name. Lizard skeleton

Ten of the most amazing lizards that will make you want to buy yourself a pet capable of such disgusting tricks that will give you goosebumps. Still, it's great!

10. Roundhead (Phrynocephalus)

It is called the toad-headed agama. The little lizard lives in the desert and surprises with its unusual habits. Roundheads communicate with each other by twisting and curling their tails and vibrating their bodies to quickly burrow into the sand. The lizard forces those who want to feast on them to flee, demonstrating the bizarre colorful mouth folds that you can see in the photo.

9. Brookesia minima

The chameleon is a highly unique reptile. His fingers are connected by a membrane like the claws of a lobster - he has an extremely tenacious tail, and he shows his attitude to what is happening by changing color. The eyeballs, like binoculars, are able to move independently of each other, and the long tongue dashes out and shoots down the insect, like a sticky harpoon from a cannon.

Unusual even among chameleons - Brookesia minima) or dwarf leaf chameleon. It is without a doubt one of the smallest reptiles known to man.

8. Phrynosoma

Or " horned"lizard. It got its name for its rounded shape and fat body, covered with a thick shield of horns and thorns. Living on sandy soils in drought conditions, the lizard feeds exclusively on ants and boasts one of the most terrible defense mechanisms against enemies: in moments of danger, it is capable of increasing the blood pressure in the vessels of the head to the limit, until the small vessels around the eyes burst and shoot streams of blood at the attacker.

The unpleasant taste of blood is probably caused by formic acid, which makes it clear to mammalian predators that they should not waste their precious time on it. Unfortunately, birds are not averse to feasting on Phrynosoma, despite its amazing ability.

7. Moloch (Moloch horridus)

Despite complete absence any kindred relationship with horned toads, in desert conditions" thorny devil"has the same distinctive features and abilities as them: a body covered with spines, the ability to change the color of the body in order to be invisible on the sand. Despite the fact that it is quite difficult to swallow a moloch covered with spines, predators will not miss the opportunity to make a couple -three" trial"bites. In such cases, covered with thorns" cone"on the back of the head serves as a bait -" fake" head.

This is an omnivorous amphibian. It feeds on fruits, nuts, insects and does not disdain small animals, which it hunts near tropical rivers. Flat toes in small species allow them to escape from predators by literally running along the surface of the water. This trick can also be done by " basilisk" or " Jesus Christ lizard"Adult males are famous for their beautiful blue, red and even purple colors.

The marine iguanas of the Galapagos Islands boast one distinctive lifestyle: like penguins or sea ​​lions, they live in coastal waters and do only diving underwater in search of food. Feeding exclusively on green algae, they scrape them from underwater rocks using their rough jaws. These fearlessly drove away Charles Darwin himself when he first discovered them. In his notes he called them " demons of darkness".

4. Flying gecko

Many geckos have the amazing ability to climb up any surface, even smooth glass, thanks to the microscopic hairs on their toe pads. These villi are attached to various materials at the molecular level, similar to Velcro.

What else amazing can be added about geckos is the ability to fly. And many of their species have succeeded in this. Gliding from tree to tree, the flying gecko uses its webbed feet, wide tail, and folds of skin to fly, just like a flying squirrel.

3. Gila Monster Lizard (Heloderma suspectum)

Together with " poisonous teeth", to which family it belongs, the Gila Monster is recognized as one of the species of lizards whose bite is poisonous. During the bite through grooves in the tiny sharp teeth A painful neurotoxin enters the victim's body.

It is now known that many other lizards may also contain at least traces of weak poison, however, the Gila Monster's venom remains one of the most toxic. The name alone is worth it!

2. Aiolot (Bipes biporus)

You might be surprised, but the Mexican mole lizard or Baja California worm lizard is not actually a lizard or a snake. These strange burrowing reptiles, which usually lack limbs and even eyes, spend their entire lives underground, hunting for worms and insects. B. biporus differs from other representatives of the group in the presence of remarkable clawed forelimbs, like those of a mole, although the hind limbs are still absent.

1. Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis)

Dragon of Komodo Island - the largest carnivorous lizard in existence, reaches almost three meters in length. Although the lion's share of its diet consists of rotting meat, it happily stalks live prey, even something as large as a deer, in order to quietly take a single bite. After this, he can only wait calmly until the victim is exhausted from blood loss and infection.

Thanks to its love for carrion, its saliva is replete with bacteria that seriously weaken the victim’s body. Recent studies prove that it is capable of producing poison. In addition, the dragon is able to relax the ligaments of its jaws, open its mouth wide and secrete moisturizing red mucus in order to swallow whole a suitable sized corpse.

Lizards are the largest group of reptiles. In everyday life, lizards are often referred to as all reptiles with legs (excluding turtles and crocodiles), but in the scientific community this title is borne mainly by representatives of the family of true lizards and several other species. These will be discussed in this article, and other related species - skinks, geckos, agamas, iguanas, monitor lizards - will be considered separately.

Pearl or Ornamented Lizard (Lacerta lepida).

True lizards are mostly small to medium sized. The largest representative of the family - the pearl lizard - reaches a length of 80 cm, other species usually do not exceed 20-40 cm, one of the smallest are numerous foot-and-mouth lizards, their length together with the tail is no more than 10 cm. A distinctive feature of real lizards is movable eyelids ( the main difference from snakes, whose eyelids are fused), oblong, thin body With long tail and medium sized paws. In desert species, the paws have long fingers with lateral teeth, which allows the lizard not to fall into quicksand. One more interesting feature lizards have the ability to autotomy (self-mutilation). Of course, lizards do not mutilate themselves without reason, but in case of danger, they can, by contracting their muscles, break the spine in the tail part and throw off the tail. The tail continues to wriggle and distract the enemy's attention; over time, the lizard grows a new tail.

The tail always breaks in the same “programmed” place; if the growth point is disturbed, then the lizard can grow two tails.

The coloring of real lizards is always a combination of several colors, usually green, brown and gray. Desert species have a yellowish color, exactly imitating the texture of sand. At the same time, many species have bright areas of the body (throat, abdomen, spots on the sides) colored blue, azure, yellow, and red. Lizards have weakly expressed sexual dimorphism: males are slightly larger than females and brighter in color (although the pattern is the same in both sexes), the pattern of young individuals is different from adults. Lizards are voiceless and do not make any sounds with the exception of the Stechlin and Simon lizards Canary Islands, these species squeak in moments of danger.

Pushing, or common lizard(Lacerta agilis).

True lizards live only in the Old World - Europe, Asia and Africa. In southern Asia, islands Indian Ocean and Madagascar does not have them. Several species were introduced to North America, where they successfully spread to the western United States. The habitats of lizards are varied; they can be seen in meadows, steppes, deserts and semi-deserts, forests, gardens, bush thickets, mountains, on river banks and cliffs. Lizards stay on the ground or climb low bushes, grass stems and tree trunks. All species are capable of moving along vertical surfaces, clinging to cracks in the bark and uneven ground, but mountain species have achieved particular perfection in this. Rock lizards and species close to them can run along bare sheer rocks and jump from a height of 3-4 m.

The long tail not only does not interfere with the lizard, but also helps it maneuver between the stems of grass.

These animals are diurnal and only representatives of the family of nocturnal lizards (close to real ones) are active mainly at night. In any case, lizards prefer to go hunting in the morning and at sunset; at noon they are less active. Lizards live alone and adhere to permanent habitats. They live in burrows, cracks in the soil, bark, and crevices between stones. These are very active and cautious animals; they usually sit and look around the surroundings; when they see suspicious movement, they freeze for a short time, and when an enemy approaches, they take to their heels. They run very quickly, alternately rearranging all their limbs; some desert species can run for several meters on their hind legs or bury themselves in the sand. In addition, in deserts, lizards are often forced to raise their legs one at a time to avoid burns from the hot sand.

The reticulated foot-and-mouth disease (Eremias grammica) lives in deserts; its long toes help it move along the sand.

Lizards feed almost exclusively on invertebrates; only the largest individuals can catch a small rodent, snake, or eat bird nesting. Typically, lizards hunt insects and spiders, and they catch quite mobile species (butterflies, locusts, grasshoppers, etc.), less often they eat snails, slugs, and worms. These animals do not have special devices for hunting (sticky tongue, poison). The lizards first sneak up on the prey, and then with a sharp throw they overtake and catch it with their mouths; when eating, they first chew and crush the hard wings of insects, tear off inedible parts, and then swallow. Some species from time to time eat the fruits of plants (prickly pear, cherries, sweet cherries, grapes, viburnum).

Stehlini's lizard (Gallotia stehlini) eats prickly pear fruits.

Small species reproduce several times per season, large ones - once a year. The breeding season occurs in spring-early summer and depends on the habitat (the further north the habitat, the later mating season). The males look out for the female and chase her at a run. If two males meet each other, they approach their opponent sideways, trying to appear larger. The smaller one gives up and gives in; if the rivals are equal in size, then they begin to bite, and their fights are fierce and often accompanied by bloodshed. The winner most often grabs the female by the abdomen near the hind legs and mates with her. The mating ritual of the three-lined lizard is quite strange: the male grabs the female by the back of her body, lifts her above the ground so that she rests on the ground only with her front paws, and begins to run with the female in his mouth. In rock lizards and other mountain species, the sex ratio is sharply disturbed, the proportion of males in the population is 0-5%, so females lay eggs without fertilization. This method of reproduction is called parthenogenesis.

The female lays from 2-4 (in small species) to 18 (in large species) eggs. The eggs are buried in the soil forest floor, hiding in holes, under stones. Incubation time depends on temperature environment and type, it lasts from 3 weeks to 1.5 months. Parents do not care about clutches and offspring. Young lizards immediately after hatching begin an independent life and are able to obtain food themselves. Viviparous lizards give birth to live young after 3 months of pregnancy; in the north of the range, embryos can occasionally even overwinter in the mother’s body, and in the extreme south of the range the same species lays eggs. The lifespan of lizards usually does not exceed 3-5 years.

Viviparous lizard (Lacerta vivipara, or Zootoca vivipara).

In nature there are many enemies of these animals. They are hunted by snakes, storks, cranes, kingfishers, crows, shrikes, small falcons, and hoopoes. For protection, lizards use different ways: fast running with sharp unexpected turns, burying in sand or forest floor, freezing (a hidden lizard cannot be thrown from a bush), simple camouflage (a lizard, for example, can hide with reverse side tree trunk, furtively watching the pursuer). When a lizard is caught, it throws off its tail or bites; holding this nimble animal in your hands is not so easy. But numerous mountain species of lizards (rock, Armenian, etc.) when caught, sometimes grab themselves by the hind leg and curl up in a ring. This pose is not accidental, because the main enemy of these species is snakes, which always swallow prey from the head, but a snake cannot swallow such a living ring.

Lizards do not harm people, but they do provide benefits. These animals destroy harmful insects and are themselves an integral link in the food chain. A number of species with a very narrow range are listed in the Red Book; their numbers are negatively affected by plowing and fires.

Dinosaurs in miniature, little dragons, whatever they call them. And these are all the lizards scurrying around us, a suborder of reptiles from the order Scaly. These include all scaly animals, except snakes and two-year-olds. Let's look at this beauty of the animal world of the planet and read the facts about them.

Today there are almost 6,000 species of tailed reptiles in the world.

Representatives of various families differ in size, color, habits, habitat; some exotic species are listed in the Red Book. In nature, the most common reptile can be considered a true lizard, average length whose body is 10-40 cm.

Unlike snakes, lizards have movable, separated eyelids, as well as an elastic, elongated body with a long tail, covered with keratinized scales, which change several times per season. The paws are clawed.

A lizard's tongue may have different shapes, color and size, it is usually movable and easily pulled out of the mouth. It is with their tongue that many lizards catch prey.

Most lizards are capable, in case of danger, of throwing their tail away (autotomy). By contracting the cartilaginous muscles at the base of the tail, the lizard discards the tail and grows it again, albeit in a slightly shortened form.

Sometimes a lizard grows back not one, but two or three tails:

The longest living is the brittle lizard. A male brittle lizard (Anguis fragilis) lived at the Zoological Museum in Copenhagen, Denmark, for over 54 years, from 1892 to 1946.

While most animals perceive the world in black and white, lizards see their surroundings in orange.

There are 2 ways of lizard reproduction: laying eggs and viviparity.

Females of small species of lizards lay no more than 4 eggs, while large ones lay up to 18 eggs. The weight of an egg can vary from 4 to 200 grams. The egg size of the world's smallest lizard, the round-toed gecko, does not exceed 6 mm in diameter. The egg size of the world's largest lizard, the Komodo dragon, reaches a length of 10 cm.

Gila Monster Lizard (HELODERMA SUSPECTUM)
Their bite is poisonous. When bitten, grooves in the tiny, sharp teeth release a painful neurotoxin into the victim's body.

Roundhead (PHRYNOCEPHALUS)
It is called the toad-headed agama - it is small, lives in empty spaces and is distinguished by one feature - communication in round-headed agama occurs with the help of a tail, which they curl, and also interesting body vibrations, with which they quickly bury themselves in the sand. Fancy mouth folds scare away enemies.

The infraorder iguana (lat. Iguania) has 14 families, the most prominent representative of which is the chameleon, inhabiting Africa, Madagascar, the Middle East, Hawaii and some American states

Common iguanas (green)

The iguana is the fastest lizard - the speed of movement on land is 34.9 km/h - recorded in the black iguana (Ctenosaura), living in Costa Rica.

Marine iguanas
Marine iguanas of the Galapagos Islands, which Darwin nicknamed “demons of darkness,” spend their time diving underwater and scraping off the rocks overgrown plants on which the iguanas feed.

Chameleon
The chameleon is a highly unique reptile. Its toes are webbed, it has an extremely prehensile tail, and it shows its attitude by changing color, binocular-like eyeballs moving independently of each other, while a very long and sticky tongue shoots out and catches its prey.

Unusual even among chameleons is Brookesia minima or the dwarf leaf chameleon. It is without a doubt one of the smallest reptiles known to man.

The largest lizard was the monitor lizard, exhibited in 1937 at the St. Louis Zoo, Missouri, USA. Its length was 3.10 m and its weight was 166 kg.

The longest lizard is the thin-bodied Salvador monitor lizard, or musk deer (Varanus salvadorii), from Papua New Guinea. He, according to data precise measurements, reaches a length of 4.75 m, but approximately 70% of its total length is in the tail.

Geckos
Geckos are a large family of small and average size very peculiar lizards, characterized in most cases by biconcave (amphicoelous) vertebrae and the loss of the temporal arches.


Many types of geckos have amazing camouflage abilities - their skin darkens or lightens depending on the light level of the environment. During experiments with wall geckos, their eyes were closed, but they continued to change color according to the usual algorithm.

Gecko lizards do not have eyelids, so they are forced to periodically wet a special transparent membrane over their eyes with their tongue.

Flying dragon and gecko's foot
Flying dragons are a genus of the subfamily of Afro-Arabian dragons of the family Agamidae; unites about thirty Asian species arboreal insectivorous lizards. Other Russian names of this genus are also found in the literature - dragons, flying dragons

The frilled lizard is a lizard from the agamidae family. In the genus Chlamydosaurus is the only species.

There are also species of lizards in which males are completely absent. Lizards Cnemidophorus neomexicanus reproduce without laying eggs using parthenogenesis (a type of reproduction in which the participation of a male individual is not necessary).

The lesser belt-tailed lizard (Cordylus cataphractus) is a species of lizard from the family of belt-tailed lizards.

Commodian monitor
The Komodo dragon is the largest carnivorous lizard in existence, reaching almost three meters in length. The main food of the monitor lizard is rotting meat, and it rots precisely thanks to the monitor lizard, or rather its bite. The monitor lizard pursues the victim, tracks it down, attacks and makes one bite, and the infected saliva, entering the victim’s blood, leads to its infection. Recent studies have also shown that the monitor lizard is capable of producing poison. It can also open its mouth very wide and secrete a special red mucus in order to swallow a victim's corpse of a suitable size whole.

Basilisk lizard
Basilisk lizards can walk on water; this effect is achieved by quickly and very often moving their hind limbs. At the same time, the running speed of lizards reaches 12 km/h, and they can run up to 400 meters.

LIZARDS
(Lacertilia, Sauria),
suborder of reptiles. As a rule, small animals with well-developed limbs, the closest relatives of snakes. Together they form a separate evolutionary lineage of reptiles. Main hallmark its representatives are the paired copulatory organs of the male (hemipenises), located on both sides of the anus at the base of the tail. These are tubular formations that can turn out or retract inward like the fingers of a glove. The inverted hemipenises serve for internal fertilization of the female during mating. Lizards and snakes form the order of scaly animals - Squamata (from the Latin squama - scales, as a sign that the body of these reptiles is covered with small scales). One of the recurring trends in the evolution of its representatives was the reduction or loss of limbs. Snakes, one of the lineages of squamates with reduced limbs, make up the suborder Serpentes. The suborder of lizards comprises several highly divergent evolutionary lineages. For simplicity, we can say that “lizards” are all scaly animals, except snakes. Most lizards have two pairs of limbs, visible openings of the external auditory canal, and a movable eyelid; but some of them lack these signs (like all snakes). Therefore, it is more reliable to focus on the features of the internal structure. For example, all lizards, even legless ones, retain at least rudiments of the sternum and shoulder girdle (the skeletal support of the forelimbs); Both of these are completely absent in snakes.
Distribution and some species. Lizards are widespread throughout the world. Absent from Antarctica, they are found from the southern tip of other continents to southern Canada in North America and to the Arctic Circle in that part of Europe where the climate is moderated by warm ocean currents. Lizards are found from elevations below sea level, such as Death Valley in California, to 5500 m above sea level in the Himalayas. Known approx. 3800 of them modern species. The smallest of them is the round-toed gecko (Sphaerodactylus elegans) from the West Indies, only 33 mm long and weighing about 1 g, and the largest is the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) from Indonesia, which can reach 3 m in length and weighs 135 kg. Despite the widespread belief that many lizards are venomous, there are only two such species - the common lizard (Heloderma suspectum) from the southwestern United States and the related escorpion (H. horridum) from Mexico.

Paleontological history. The oldest fossil remains of lizards date back to the Late Jurassic (ca. 160 million years ago). Some of their extinct species were enormous in size. It is believed that Megalania, which lived in Australia in the Pleistocene (approx. 1 million years ago), reached a length of approx. 6 m; and the largest of the mosasaurs (a fossil family of long, slender fish-like aquatic lizards related to monitor lizards) is 11.5 m. Mosasaurs inhabited coastal sea ​​waters various parts of the planet approx. 85 million years ago. The closest modern relative of lizards and snakes is quite large hatteria, or tuatara ( Sphenodon punctatus), from New Zealand.
Appearance. The background color of the back and sides of most lizards is green, brown, gray or black, often with a pattern in the form of longitudinal and transverse stripes or spots. Many species are able to change color or its brightness due to the dispersion and aggregation of pigment in special skin cells called melanophores. The scales can be both small and large; they can be located close to each other (like tiles) or overlapping (like tiles). Sometimes they are transformed into spines or ridges. Some lizards, such as skinks, have bony plates called osteoderms inside their horny scales, which give the integument additional strength. All lizards molt periodically, shedding their outer layer of skin. The limbs of lizards are designed differently, depending on the lifestyle of the species and the surface of the substrate on which it usually moves. In many climbing forms, such as anoles, geckos and some skinks, the lower surface of the fingers is expanded into a pad covered with setae - branched hair-like outgrowths of the outer layer of the skin. These bristles catch on the slightest irregularities in the substrate, which allows the animal to move along a vertical surface and even upside down. Both the upper and lower jaws of lizards are equipped with teeth, and in some they are also located on the palatine bones (the roof of the oral cavity). The teeth are held on the jaws in two ways: acrodontally, almost completely fused with the bone, usually along its edge and not replaced, or pleurodontally - loosely attached to the inside of the bone and regularly replaced. Agamas, amphisbaenas and chameleons are the only modern lizards with acrodont teeth.
Sense organs. The eyes of lizards are developed differently, depending on the species - from large and well-seeing in diurnal forms to small, degenerate and covered with scales in some burrowing taxa. Most have a movable scaly eyelid (lower eyelid only). Some medium-sized lizards have a transparent “window” on it. In a number of small species it occupies most or the entire area of ​​the eyelid, attached to the upper edge of the eye, so that it is constantly closed, but sees as if through glass. Such “glasses” are characteristic of most geckos, many skinks and some other lizards, whose gaze as a result is unblinking, like that of snakes. Lizards with a movable eyelid have a thin nictitating membrane, or third eyelid, underneath it. This is a transparent film that can move from side to side. Many lizards have retained the parietal “third eye” characteristic of their ancestors, which is not capable of perceiving shape, but distinguishes between light and darkness. It is believed that he is sensitive to ultraviolet radiation and helps regulate sun exposure as well as other behaviors. Most lizards have a noticeable opening in the shallow external auditory canal, which ends in the eardrum. These reptiles perceive sound waves with a frequency of 400 to 1500 Hz. Some groups of lizards have lost the auditory opening: it is either covered with scales or has disappeared as a result of narrowing of the auditory canal and eardrum. In general, these “earless” forms can perceive sounds, but, as a rule, worse than the “eared” ones. The Jacobson (vomeronasal) organ is a chemoreceptor structure located in the anterior part of the palate. It consists of a pair of chambers that open into the oral cavity with two small holes. With its help, lizards can determine chemical composition substances in the mouth and, more importantly, in the air and landing on their protruding tongue. Its tip is brought to the Jacobson's organ, the animal "tastes" the air (for example, to the proximity of prey or danger) and reacts accordingly.
Reproduction. Initially, lizards belong to oviparous animals, i.e. lay shell-covered eggs that develop for several weeks outside the mother's body before hatching. However, many groups of lizards have developed ovoviviparity. Their eggs are not covered with a shell, they remain in the female’s oviducts until embryonic development is completed, and the already “hatched” cubs are born. Only the widespread South American skinks of the genus Mabuya can be considered truly viviparous. Their tiny, yolkless eggs develop in the oviducts, likely receiving nutrition from the mother through the placenta. The placenta in lizards is a special temporary formation on the wall of the oviduct, in which the capillaries of the mother and embryo come close enough to each other so that the latter receives oxygen and nutrients. The number of eggs or young in a brood varies from one (in large iguanas) up to 40-50. In several groups, for example, in most geckos, it is constant and equal to two, and in skinks and a number of American tropical geckos, there is always only one cub in the brood. Age of puberty and life expectancy. Puberty in lizards generally correlates with body size; in small species it lasts less than a year, in large species it lasts several years. In some small forms, most adults die after laying eggs. Many large lizards live up to 10 years or more, and one copperhead, or brittle spindle (Anguis fragilis), reached 54 years of age in captivity.
Enemies and methods of defense. Lizards are attacked by almost all animals that can grab and defeat them. These are snakes birds of prey, mammals and humans. Methods to protect yourself from predators include morphological adaptations and special behavioral techniques. If you get too close to some lizards, they will take on a threatening pose. For example, the Australian frilled lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii) suddenly opens its mouth and raises a wide, bright collar formed by a fold of skin on its neck. Obviously, the effect of surprise plays a role in scaring off enemies. If many lizards are grabbed by the tail, they throw it away, leaving the enemy with a wriggling piece of debris that distracts his attention. This process, known as autotomy, is facilitated by the presence of a thin non-ossifying zone in the middle of all caudal vertebrae except those closest to the trunk. The tail is then regenerated.

Collier's Encyclopedia. - Open Society. 2000 .

See what "LIZARDS" is in other dictionaries:

- (Saurra), suborder of squamates. Appeared in the Triassic. Ancestors of snakes. The body is ridged, flattened, laterally compressed or cylindrical, of various colors. Skin covered with horny scales. Dl. from 3.5 cm to 4 m (monitor lizards). The front part of the skull is not... ... Biological encyclopedic dictionary

Suborder of reptiles of the order Squamate. Body length from several cm to 3 m or more ( komodo dragon), covered with keratinized scales. Most have well-developed limbs. More than 3900 species, on all continents except Antarctica,... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (Lacertilia s. Sauria) reptiles with an anus in the form of a transverse slit (Plagiotremata), with a paired copulatory organ, teeth not in meshes; usually equipped with a front girdle and always have a sternum; in most cases with 4 limbs,... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

The request for "Lizard" is redirected here; see also other meanings. ? Lizards ... Wikipedia

- (Sauria) suborder (or order) of reptiles of the order (or subclass) squamate. Body length from 3.5 cm to 3 m (Komodo dragon). The body is ridged, flattened, laterally compressed or cylindrical. Some have well-developed five-fingered... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Lizards- >) and a female. /> Viviparous lizards: male () and female. Viviparous lizards. Lizards, a suborder of the class animals. They are distinguished by the presence of limbs () and movable eyelids. Length from 3.5 cm to 4 m. The body is covered with keratinized scales. Ya are distributed to... ... Encyclopedia "Animals in the House"

Pets living with us in the same apartment or house are becoming more sophisticated and interesting. The classic ones are becoming less and less common: cats, dogs and birds. Increasingly, people are bringing in various insects, arachnids and reptiles. Various kinds of lizards are especially common, and this is not surprising, because many of them are very cute and friendly, which allows each of them to become a replacement for the notorious cat or puppy.

Lizards suitable for home life, weight. IN this material Some of the most popular ones have been collected. With a description of their features, as well as photo materials for each type.

Chameleons

• Yemen chameleon– quite popular, often found as pet, view. The reason for such love for the Yemen chameleon was its unpretentiousness in housing conditions and nutrition. Appearance: adults often reach up to 60 centimeters in length (females are slightly inferior). A chameleon's color changes during periods of stress and pregnancy. Containment conditions: contain this type it is necessary to do it alone, giving the lizard a large terrarium with ventilation. Chameleon feeding small insects.
• Three-horned chameleon- not yet so common, but a very bright and noticeable representative of lizards. Appearance: the chameleon justifies its name with its extraordinary appearance; the three-horned chameleon has a bright green color. There are three horns on the head, one straight and two curved. Curved tail used as a hook. Conditions of keeping: the individual should be kept in the same conditions as other chameleons: large, vertical terrarium, with good ventilation, while being single.

Agamidae

Monitor lizards

• Black and white tegu – typical representative lizards South America. Appearance: this individual often reaches sizes of up to one and a half meters. This representative of the monitor lizard is a predator, emerging from its hole during the day, eating small and large animals that it can catch up with. Conditions of keeping: to keep this one in captivity you will need a truly gigantic terrarium, or better yet a whole pen. The lizard's diet must include chicks, locusts, and rats. Just look at the photo of this “dinosaur” to understand that everything is serious.

Geckos

• The fat-tailed gecko is a very small and even cute representative of the lizard family. In nature, it leads a rather secretive lifestyle. Lives throughout the territory West Africa. Appearance: The size of the gecko rarely exceeds 30 centimeters. Due to its “compactness”, the fat-tailed gecko easily fits even into a small terrarium. Conditions of detention: hundreds of liters are enough to accommodate three females and one male. You cannot put two males in one terrarium. This will lead to constant struggle for territory. These lizards feed on small insects and artificial, vitamin-rich reptile food.
• Leopard lizard- another representative of geckos. Larger, but at the same time more popular among exotic lovers. Appearance: This lizard is not easily called the namesake of the leopard. It is the similar spotted color that causes similar associations and sets it apart from other geckos. The spotted gecko reaches an average of 30 centimeters in length. The gecko is captivating at first sight, take a look at the photo below to see for yourself. Housing conditions: as in the case of the fat-tailed gecko, you can get by with a small terrarium of 60-90 liters and calmly plant a couple of geckos there. These lizards do not need soil.

Iguanas

Skinks

• Blue tongue skink– a very patient and homely lizard, which, despite its “angry” appearance, can become best choice for beginners. Appearance: large animal light color with large scales. Distinctive feature, based on the name, became the language blue. Conditions of detention: this species lives in Australia and is prohibited from being exported from there. At the same time, the lizard is available for sale with us, and it feels great at home. A terrarium 100 centimeters long and 50 centimeters wide is perfect.

Domestic lizards