Yellow bellied house gecko- Part 2

Here are few pictures of yellow bellied house gecko (scientific name: hemidactylus flaviviridis) taken by me:

Kuhl’s Flying Gecko

Recently, while glancing through my brother’s coin collection, I came across a beautiful coin. I was so excited upon seeing it. It seemed as if the coin was made for
me. Take a look at it, here:

(Now you know why!)

The lizard featured on the above coin is the Kuhl’s Flying Gecko. Its scientific name is Ptychozoon Kuhli. The gecko is found in the regions of south eastern Asia like the Nicobar Islands, Malayan Islands, Indonesia, etc. Kuhl’s flying gecko was discovered by Leonhard Hess Stejneger, an American herpetologist in the year 1902. The gecko is named in the honor of Dr. Heinrich Kuhl, a German Ornothologist.

Kuhl’s Flying gecko can grow upto 8 inches in length. The coloration of the gecko ranges from the browns to grays helping them blend with the bark (camouflage). It feeds on insects like crickets, wax worms, earthworms, etc. The gecko can be easily identified by its flat saw-like tail. Another unique feature of this gecko is the flaps of skin present at both sides of its head, flanks and toes. It is also called the gliding gecko as it can glide to a nearby tree or land on ground.

They are active lizards and make a great pet!

 

 

Princely Mastigures

Princely mastigures are of the ‘Uromastyx’ genus of the ‘Agamid’ family. Unlikely, these are more popularly known by their binomial name, ‘Uromastyx Princeps’. Lizards of Uromastyx genus are a great pet and so are very popular in the pet trade. The Uromastyx genus is differentiated by other genera by the characteristic of thick spiked tail that all the lizards of Uromastyx genus have. In fact, the word ‘uromastyx’ was derived from the Greek words ‘oura’ and ‘mastigo’ which mean ‘tail’ and ‘scourge’ respectively.  The other species of Uromastyx include Uromastyx Hardwickii (found in India, will blog about this soon!), Uromastyx Thomasi, Uromastyx Ornata, Uromastyx Oscellata, etc. The lizards of Uromastyx genus are commonly known as dab lizards or spiny-tailed lizards.

Coming to our Princeps, they are naturally found in Somalia, in the provinces of Sanaag, Bari, Mudug and Nogal to be precise. However, some get exported to other countries for the purpose of trade.

 Princely mastigures feed on vegetables and fruits. These lizards can grow up to a maximum length of 7 inches with the maximum length its tail can grow being 3 inches. These are colorful little creatures having ground color of the body as olive gray to green. The male lizards have yellowish red to green colored back with small black spots and are yellowish underside. The female lizards are grey brown colored at the back with small black spots and are white colored underside.

Princely Mastigures are really rare which could be understood by the fact that they can be bought at the price of around $2000! Perhaps, one of the factors for their scarcity is that they happen to reproduce well in their natural land Somalia and comparatively less in other places.

Happy Birthday to (Beddo)ME!!!

You have got it right, its my Birthday today! I feel nostalgic that this birthday marks the end to my ‘teen’age and I should start behaving like a young lady from now on- mature, responsible and no-childishness. Well, it seems next to impossible right now and it has already started to worry me!

Nevertheless, I feel proud that I share my birthday with a great herpetologist, Richard Henry Beddome, who has discovered and described several species of reptiles, amphibians and plants. (I recently came to know about this and I feel just the way you would feel if you are a Bollywood fan and you share your birthday with the King of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan, himself!)

Richard Henry Beddome

Apparently, Richard Henry Beddome was born on 11th of May in the year 1830. Born and brought up in England, he joined army and was sent to India regarding the East India Company’s service. In 1859, he was appointed as the Chief Conservator of the Forest Department of Madras Presidency and he remained in that post until 1882. During this period, he discovered and described several species of flora and fauna (reptiles and amphibians) and published his work in journals and research papers.

Some of the lizard species that Beddome had discovered in India are:

Gekkonidae Family:

1. Gymnodactylus Nebulosus
2. Gymnodactylus Collegalensus
3. Gymnodactylus Jeyporensis
4. Cnemaspis Wynadensis
5. Cnemaspis Ornata
6. Cnemaspis Gracilis
7. Calodactylodes Aureus
8. Hemidactylus Reticulatus
9. Hemiphyllodactylus aurantiacus

Scindae Family:

1. Sepsophis Punctatus
2. Leiolopisma Travancoricum
3. Chalcides Pentadactylus
4. Ristella Travancorica

Lacertidae Family:

1. Cabrita Jerdoni

Agamidae Family:

1. Salea Anamallayana

Because of his significant contribution, many species of plants, reptiles and amphibians have been named in his honour. The species of lizards that have been named in his honour include:

• Cnemaspis Beddomei
• Scincella beddomei
• Ophisops beddomei
• Otocryptis beddomei

Henry Beddome retired in the year 1882 and bid farewell to the world in the year 1911. But his work still keeps him alive in the hearts of many!

Six-lined Long Tailed Lizard

The scientific name of these long-tailed lizards is Takydromus sexlineatus and they belong to the family of Lacertidae.

It is also known as the Asian grass lizard as it is found only in countries of Asia like India, China, Burma, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, etc.

The most unique feature of this lizard is its tail which grows usually to about 3 times the length of its body (i.e., from snout to vent). One can easily identify it by its tail and the stripes on its body. Another peculiar property of the Asian long-tailed lizard is that, like geckos, it can also drop its tail (which the lizard opts for in the times of danger) and let it re-grow.

Its body is slightly elongated with sharp pointing snout.  It is brownish in color with stripes of different shades of brown on the upper side of the body. Some males also have spots on their sides.

Lizards for Breakfast!

“The economy is in a difficult situation, but it does not mean that we should start eating lizards.” These were the words told by the Finance Minister of India, Pranab Mukherjee, yesterday referring to the price rise.

Well, certainly not because of food inflation, but lizards have been a source of food for people across few countries!

People in Vietnam consume lizard’s blood. The lizard is identified as the water monitor lizard which is locally called ‘Kabaragoya’. According to these people the lizard’s blood tastes delicious! Check out this video clip:

In Hong Kong, lizards are cut and dried. A couple of a male and a female lizard are tied to a wooden stick as shown and sold in herbal medicine shops. These are meant to be boiled in a broth to make the soup. People suffering with cold and fever consume this soup. Some also believe that this soup is good for one’s heart and lungs. These can also be eaten by removing their heads whereas tails are considered to be more beneficial. The lizards are identified to be Tokay Geckos which are brightly colored when alive.

 

Green and black iguanas happen to remain as a food source in Central and South America since ages. They are referred as ‘Gallina de palo’ which means ‘Bamboo chicken’ or ‘chicken of the tree’ because of its taste resembling that of chicken.

Lizard hunting is a popular hobby for the young Arab men during summer as the lizards are found in large numbers during that time. The mastigures caught are then cooked and consumed by the Arabs. A hadees regarding whether this is halal (i.e. permissible according to the Islamic Law) is as follows:

(Sahih Al Bukhari: Volume 7, Book 65, Number 303)

Narrated Khalid bin Al-Walid:
That he went with Allah’s Apostle to the house of Maimuna, who was his and Ibn ‘Abbas’ aunt. He found with her a roasted mastigure which her sister Hufaida bint Al-Harith had brought from Najd. Maimuna presented the mastigure before Allah’s Apostle who rarely started eating any (unfamiliar) food before it was described and named for him. (But that time) Allah’s Apostle stretched his hand towards the (meat of the) mastigure whereupon a lady from among those who were present, said, “You should inform Allah’s Apostle of what you have presented to him. O Allah’s Apostle! It is the meat of a mastigure.” (On learning that) Allah’s Apostle withdrew his hand from the meat of the mastigure. Khalid bin Al-Walid said, “O Allah’s Apostle! Is this unlawful to eat?” Allah’s Apostle replied, “No, but it is not found in the land of my people, so I do not like it.” Khalid said, “Then I pulled the mastigure (meat) towards me and ate it while Allah’s Apostle was looking at me.

Yellow-bellied House Gecko

Yellow Bellied House Gecko, scientific name-Hemidactylus flaviviridis, is one of the common house geckos found in India. It is also found in other countries of Asia such as Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Yemen and African countries like Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia.

Here are few snaps of the yellow-bellied house gecko which i took recently:

Yellow Bellied House Gecko

A closer look at its belly, explains why it is commonly called ‘yellow-bellied’ house gecko:

Closer view of Yellow-bellied House Gecko's belly

List of Lizards found in India

Based on the report submitted by the Zoological Survey of India, the lizards found in India are:

Family	S.No.	Common Name	Scientific Name	Discovered by	Year
Agamidae	1	Green crested lizard	Bronchocela cristatella	Kuhl	1820
	2	Daniel’s forest lizard	Bronchocela danieli	Tiwari & Biswas	1973
	3	Maned Forest Lizard	Bronchocela jubata	Dumeril & Bibron	1837
	4	Hardwicke’s Bloodsucker	Brachysaura minor	Hardwicke & Gray	1827
	5	Laungawala toad-headed lizard	Bufoniceps laungwalaensis	Sharma	1978
	6	Green Crestless forest lizard	Calotes andamanensis	Boulenger	1891
	7	Orange-lipped forest lizard	Calotes aurantolabiumb	Krishnan	2008
	8	Common green forest lizard	Calotes calotes	Linnaeus	1758
	9	Large scaled forest lizard	Calotes grandisquamis	Günther	1875
	10	Jerdon’s Forest lizard	Calotes jerdoni	Günther	1871
	11	Khasi Hills forest lizard	Calotes maria	Gray	1845
	12	Moustached forest lizard	Calotes mystaceus	Dumeril & Bibron	1837
	13	Nilgiri forest lizard	Calotes nemorocola	Jerdon	1853
	14	Elliot’s forest lizard	Calotes ellioti	Günther	1864
	15	Emma Gray’s forest lizard	Calotes emma	Gray	1845
	16	Roux’s forest lizard	Calotes rouxii	Dumeril & Bibron	1837
	17	Indian garden lizard	Calotes versicolor	Daudin	1812
	18	Bay Islands forest lizard	Coryphophylax subcristatus	Blyth	1860
	19	Blanford’s forest lizard	Draco blanfordii	Boulenger	1885
	20	South Indian flying lizard	Draco dussumieri	Duméril & Bibron	1837
	21	Spotted flying dragon	Draco maculatus	Gray	1845
	22	Anderson’s mountain lizard	Japalura andersoniana	Annandale	1905
	23	Smith’s Japalure	Japalura kaulbacki	Smith	1937
	24	Kumaon mountain lizard	Japalura kumaonensis	Annandale	1907
	25	Large mountain lizard	Japalura major	Jerdon	1870
	26	Ota’s mountain Lizard	Japalura otai	Mahony	2009
	27	Smooth-scaled mountain lizard	Japalura planidorsata	Jerdon	1870
	28	Burmese Japalure	Japalura sagittifera	Smith	1940
	29	Three-keeled mountain lizard	Japalura tricarinata	Blyth	1854
	30	Variegated mountain lizard	Japalura variegate	Gray	1853
	31	Agror agama	Laudakia agrorensis	Stoliczka	1872
	32	Haridwar agama	Laudakia dayana	Stoliczka	1871
	33	Himalayan agama	Laudakia himalayana	Steindachner	1867
	34	Black agama	Laudakia melanura	Blyth	1854
	35	Kashmir rock agama	Laudakia tuberculata	Hardwicke & Gray	1827
	36	Indian kangaroo lizard	Otocryptis beddomii	Boulenger	1885
	37	Small forest lizard	Oriocalotes Paulus	Smith	1935
	38	Theobald’s toad –headed agama	Phrynocephalus theobaldi	Blyth	1863
	39	Blanford’s rock agama	Psammophilus blanfordanus	Stoliczka	1871
	40	South Indian rock agama	Psammophilus dorsalis	Griffith & Pidgeon	1831
	41	Abor hills agama	Pseudocalotes austeniana	Annandale	1908
	42	Green fan -throated lizard	Ptyctolaemus gularis	Peters	1864
	43	Anaimalai spiny lizard	Salea anamallayana	Beddome	1878
	44	Horsfield’s spiny lizard	Salea horsfieldii	Gray	1845
	45	Fan throated lizard	Sitana ponticeriana	Cuvier	1829
	46	Brilliant ground agama	Trapelus agilis	Olivier	1804
	47	Afghan ground agama	Trapelus megalonyx	Günther	1864
Anguidae	48	Burma/ Asian glass lizard	Ophisaurus gracilis	Gray	1845
Chamaeleonidae	49	Indian Chamaeleon	Chamaeleo zeylanicus	Laurenti	1768
Dibamidae	50	Nicobarese worm lizard	Dibamus nicobaricus	Steindachner	1867
Eublepharidae	51	East Indian leopard gecko	Eublepharis hardwickii	Gray	1827
	52	Common leopard gecko	Eublepharis macularius	Blyth	1854
	53	Leopard gecko	Eublepharis fuscusb	Borner	1981
Gekkonidae	54	Indian golden gecko	Calodactylodes aureus	Beddome	1870
	55	Assamese day gecko	Cnemaspis assamensis	Das & Sengupta	2000
	56		Cnemaspis australis	Manamendra-Arachchi et al.,	2007
	57	Beddome’s day gecko	Cnemaspis beddomei	Theobald	1876
	58	Goan day gecko	Cnemaspis goaensis	Sharma	1976
	59	Slender day gecko	Cnemaspis gracilis	Beddome	1870
	60	Heteropholis gecko	Cnemaspis heteropholis	Bauer	2002
	61	Indian day gecko	Cnemaspis indica	Gray	1846
	62	Indraneil’s day gecko	Cnemaspis indraneildasii	Bauer	2002
	63	Jerdon’s day gecko	Cnemaspis jerdonii	Theobald	1868
	64	Kolhapur day gecko	Cnemaspis kolhapurensis	Giri et al.,	2009
	65	Coastal day gecko	Cnemaspis littoralis	Jerdon	1854
	66	Mysore day gecko	Cnemaspis mysoriensis	Jerdon	1854
	67		Cnemaspis monticolab	Manamendra-Arachchi et al.,	2007
	68	Ponmudi day gecko	Cnemaspis nairi	Inger, Marx & Koshy	1984
	69		Cnemaspis nilagiricab	Manamendra-Arachchi et al.,	2007
	70	Ornate day gecko	Cnemaspis ornate	Beddome	1870
	71	Otai’s day gecko	Cnemaspis otai	Das & Bauer	2000
	72	Sispara day gecko	Cnemaspis sisparensis	Theobald	1876
	73	Rough bellied day gecko	Cnemaspis tropidogaster	Boulenger	1885
	74	Wynad day gecko	Cnemaspis wynadensis	Beddome	1870
	75	Yercaud day gecko	Cnemaspis yercaudensis	Das & Bauer	2000
	76	Sind day gecko	Crossobamon orientalis	Blanford	1875
	77	Alder’s bow-fingered gecko	Cyrtodactylus adleri	Das	1997
	78	Banded bent-toed gecko	Cyrtodactylus fasciolatus	Blyth	1860
	79	Sikkimese bent-toed gecko	Cyrtodactylus gubernatoris	Annandale	1913
	80	Himalayan bent-toed gecko	Cyrtodactylus himalayanus	Duda & Sahi	1978
	81	Khasi hills bent-toed gecko	Cyrtodactylus khasiensis	Jerdon	1870
	82	Lawder’s bent-toed gecko	Cyrtodactylus lawderanus	Stoliczka	1871
	83	Smith’s bent-toed gecko	Cyrtodactylus malcomsmithi	Constable	1949
	84	Jammu bent-toed gecko	Cyrtodactylus mansarulus	Duda & Sahi	1978
	85	Andaman bent-toed gecko	Cyrtodactylus rubidus	Blyth	1861
	86	Karakoram bent-toed gecko	Cyrtodactylus stoliczkai	Steindachner	1867
	87	Delhi rock gecko	Cyrtopodion aravallensis	Gill	1997
	88	Warty rock gecko	Cyrtopodion kachhense	Stoliczka	1872
	89	Salt range gecko	Cyrtopodion montiumsalsorum	Annandale	1913
	90	Rough-tailed gecko	Cyrtopodion scabrum	Heyden	1827
	91	Kollegal ground gecko	Geckoella collegalensis	Beddome	1870
	92	Boulenger’s Indian Gecko	Geckoella albofasciatus	Boulenger	1885
	93	Deccan ground gecko	Geckoella deccanensis	Günther	1864
	94	Jaipore ground gecko	Geckoella jeyporensis	Beddome	1878
	95	Clouded ground gecko	Geckoella nebulosa	Beddome	1870
	96	Four-clawed gecko	Gehyra mutilate	Wiegmann	1834
	97	Tokay Gecko	Gekko gecko	Linnaeus	1758
	98	Smith’s giant gecko	Gekko smithii	Gray	1842
	99	Andaman giant gecko	Gekko verreauxi	Tytler	1865
	100	Aaron Bauer’s rock gecko	Hemidactylus aaronbauerib	Giri	2008
	101	White-banded broad-tailed gecko	Hemidactylus albofasciatus	Grandison & Soman	1963
	102	Anaimalai gecko	Hemidactylus anamallensis	Günther	1875
	103	Bowring gecko	Hemidactylus bowringii	Gray	1845
	104	Brook’s house gecko	Hemidactylus brookii	Gray	1845
	105	Yellow green house gecko	Hemidactylus flaviviridis	Rüppell	1835
	106	Asian house gecko	Hemidactylus frenatus	Duméril & Bibron	1836
	107	Garnot’s gecko	Hemidactylus garnotii	Duméril & Bibron	1836
	108	Giant south Indian gecko	Hemidactylus giganteus	Stoliczka	1871
	109	Slender day gecko	Hemidactylus gracilis	Blanford	1870
	110		Hemidactylus gujaratensis	Giri et al.,	2009
	111	Carrot-tail viper gecko	Hemidactylus imbricatus	Bauer et al.,	2008
	112	Bark gecko	Hemidactylus leschenaultia	Duméril & Bibron	1836
	113	Spotted house gecko	Hemidactylus maculatus	Duméril & Bibron	1836
	114		Hemidactylus graniticolusa	Agarwal et al.,	2011
	115	Persian gecko	Hemidactylus persicus	Anderson	1872
	116	Flat tailed gecko	Hemidactylus platyurus	Schneider	1792
	117	Porbandar gecko	Hemidactylus porbandarensis	Sharma	1981
	118	Prashad’s gecko	Hemidactylus prashadi	Smith	1935
	119	Reticulated gecko	Hemidactylus reticulatus	Beddome	1870
	120		Hemidactylus sataraensisb	Giri & Bauer	2008
	121	Scaly gecko	Hemidactylus scabriceps	Annandale	1906
	122	Termite hill gecko	Hemidactylus triedrus	Daudin	1802
	123		Hemidactylus treutleri	Mahony et al.,	2009
	124	Western Ghats worm gecko	Hemiphyllodactylus aurantiacus	Beddome	1870
	125	Oriental worm gecko	Hemiphyllodactylus typus	Bleeker	1860
	126	Mourning gecko	Lepidodactylus lugubris	Duméril & Bibron	1836
	127	Andaman day gecko	Phelsuma andamanense	Blyth	1861
	128	Kuhl’s gliding gecko	Ptychozoon kuhli	Stejneger	1902
	129	Smooth-backed gliding gecko	Ptychozoon lionotum	Annandale	1905
	130	Nicobar gliding gecko	Ptychozoon nicobarensish	Das & Vijayakumar	2009
Lacertidae	131	Indian fringe-fingered lizard	Acanthodactylus cantoris	Günther	1864
	132	Persian long-tailed lizard	Mesalina watsonana	Stoliczka	1872
	133	Beddome’s lacerta	Ophisops beddomei	Jerdon	1870
	134	Snake-eyed lacerta	Ophisops jerdoni	Blyth	1853
	135	Leschenault’s lacerta	Ophisops leschenaultia	Milne-Edwards	1829
	136	Small-scaled lacerta	Ophisops microlepis	Blanford	1870
	137	Lesser snake-eyed lacerta	Ophisops minor	Deraniyagala	1971
	138	Haughton’s long- tailed lizard	Takydromus haughtonianus	Jerdon	1870
	139	Kashi hills long -tailed lizard	Takydromus khasiensis	Boulenger	1917
	140	Six- lined long- tailed lizard	Takydromus sexlineatus	Daudin	1802
Scincidae	141	Dwarf earless skink	Ablepharus grayanus	Stoliczka	1872
	142	Asian snake-eyed skink	Ablepharus pannonicus	Fitzinger	1823
	143	Ladakh ground skink	Asymblepharus ladacensis	Günther	1864
	144	Himalaya ground skink	Asymblepharus himalayanus	Günther	1864
	145	Sikkim ground skink	Asymblepharus sikkimensis	Blyth	1854
	146	Madras spotted skink	Barkudia insularis	Annandale	1917
	147	Barkuda limbless skink	Barkudia melanosticta	Schneider	1801
	148	Nicobar tree skink	Dasia nicobarensis	Biswas & Sanyal	1977
	149	Olive tree skink	Dasia olivacea	Gray	1839
	150	Blue-bellied tree skink	Dasia subcaeruleum	Boulenger	1891
	151	Poona skink	Eurylepis poonaensis	Sharma	1970
	152	Yellow- bellied mole skink	Eurylepis taeniolatus	Blyth	1854
	153	Allapalli grass skink	Eutropis allapallensis	Schmidt	1926
	154	Andaman Islands grass skink	Eutropis andamanensis	Smith	1935
	155	Beddome’s grass skink	Eutropis beddomii	Jerdon	1870
	156	Bibron’s seashore skink	Eutropis bibronii	Gray	1838
	157	Common keeled skink	Eutropis carinata	Schneider	1801
	158	Mountain skink	Eutropis clivicola	Inger et al.	1984
	159	Striped grass skink	Eutropis dissimilis	Hallowell	1857
	160	Gans’grass skink	Eutropis gansi	Das	1991
	161	Blanford’s grass skink	Eutropis innotata	Blanford	1870
	162	Bronze grass skink	Eutropis macularia	Blyth	1853
	163	Many- lined grass skink	Eutropis multifasciata	Kuhl	1820
	164	Nagarjunasagar grass skink	Eutropis nagarjuni	Sharma	1969
	165	Four-keeled grass skink	Eutropis quadricarinata	Boulenger	1887
	166	Lined grass skink	Eutropis rudis	Boulenger	1887
	167	Rough-scaled skink	Eutropis rugifera	Stoliczka	1870
	168	Three-lined grass skink	Eutropis trivit	Hardwicke & Gray	1827
	169	Tytler’s grass skink	Eutropis tytlerii	Tytler & Theobald	1868
	170	Big-eared lipinia	Lipinia macrotympanum	Stoliczka	1873
	171	White-spotted supple skink	Lygosoma albopunctata	Gray	1846
	172	Ashwamedha supple skink	Lygosoma ashwamedhi	Sharma	1969
	173	Bowring’s supple skink	Lygosoma bowringii	Günther	1864
	174	Goan supple skink	Lygosoma goaensis	Sharma	1976
	175	Günther’s supple skink	Lygosoma guentheri	Peters	1879
	176	Lined supple skink	Lygosoma lineata	Gray	1839
	177	Pruth’s supple skink	Lygosoma pruthi	Sharma	1977
	178	Spotted supple skink	Lygosoma punctate	Gmelin	1799
	179	Vosmaer’supple skink	Lygosoma vosmaerii	Gray	1839
	180	Schneider’s skink	Novoeumeces schneideri	Daudin	1802
	181	Eastern sand swimmer	Ophiomorus raithmai	Anderson & Leviton	1966
	182	Beddome’s cat skink	Ristella beddomii	Boulenger	1887
	183	Günther’s cat skink	Ristella guentheri	Boulenger	1887
	184	Rurk’s cat skink	Ristella rurkii	Gray	1839
	185	Travancore cat skink	Ristella travancoricus	Beddome	1870
	186	Beddome’s ground skink	Kaestlea beddomii	Boulenger	1887
	187	Two-lined ground skink	Kaestlea bilineata	Gray	1846
	188	Side-spotted ground skink	Kaestlea laterimaculata	Boulenger	1887
	189	Palni hills ground skink	Kaestlea palnicab	Boettger	1892
	190	Travancore ground skink	Kaestlea travancorica	Beddome	1870
	191	Large- eared ground skink	Scincella macrotis	Steindachner	1867
	192	Spotted Eastern Ghats skink	Sepsophis punctatus	Beddome	1870
	193	Rotung litter skink	Sphenomorphus courcyanum	Annandale	1912
	194	Dussumier’s litter skink	Sphenomorphus dussumieri	Duméril & Bibron	1839
	195	Himalayan litter skink	Sphenomorphus indicus	Gray	1853
	196	Spotted litter skink	Sphenomorphus maculatus	Blyth	1853
	197	North-eastern water snake	Tropidophorus assamensis	Annandale	1912
Uromastycidae	198	Spiny- tailed lizard	Uromastyx hardwickii	Gray	1827
Varanidae	199	Bengal monitor	Varanus bengalensis	Daudin	1802
	200	Yellow monitor	Varanus flavescens	Hardwicke & Gray	1827
	201	Desert monitor	Varanus griseus	Daudin	1803
	202	Water Monitor	Varanus salvator	Laurenti	1768

 

South Indian Rock Agama

Also known as Peninsular Rock Agama, South Indian Rock Agama is mostly found on rocky hills of south India. Its scientific name is Psammophilus dorsalis and it was discovered by J. E. Gray in the year 1831. It belongs to the family of agamid lizards.

Male South Indian Rock Agama during breeding season. Photographed by Mohd Abubakr.

The male rock agama is usually pale brownish to black colored. The color pattern of their body resembles the rock pattern thus giving them the name, ‘rock agama’. However during breeding season it assumes bright colors like red and black. The females are olive-brown in color with white-colored spotted lines along each side of the back. The average length of male rock agamas is 235 mm (i.e., from snout to the tail) whereas the females are smaller.

Horned Lizard

As far as we know and have seen lizards, they have tubular form of body. But there is a family of lizards named ‘Phrynosomatidae’ which have a round-figured body.

 

What’s in a name?

This family of lizards is commonly known as Horned lizards as they have horns on their back and also have a crown of horns, made up of true bone, on head. They are also familiar with names like horny toad or horned toad because of their distinguished toad-like outline of body which is unlike the conventional tubular type of lizards. This is their major uniqueness. This makes me state:

 

“What’s in a name? That which we call a horny toad

By any other name would appear as round.”                  

 

Origin:

(Texas Horned Lizard)

There are about 13-14 species of horned lizards known to man by far. These are naturally found in the areas of North America. The largest of the species is the Texas Horned lizard. The horny toads prefer to live in dry, rocky areas.

 

Protection:

These lizards are tagged to be ‘Protected’ by the Government i.e., it is illegal to buy or sell them, to keep them as pet etc unless with special permits. It can be said that they are on the verge to get extinct and so are they protected. We can come across several horned lizard conservation organizations on account of the fact aforementioned.

 

Diet:

(Red Harvester Ant)

One of the main reasons for these lizards to get extinct is the lack of availability of their primary source of food- the ‘Harvester ants’- which is, in turn, due to various other reasons. Besides, harvester ants, horned lizards also feed upon other insects like crickets, spiders, beetles, grasshoppers etc.

 

Self-defense:

            The horned lizards, in addition to being round, have flat-structured body and can even flatten their body to a higher level (thus eliminating their shadows). And since their coloration is similar to the colour of sand (or ground) they live on, it becomes an advantage for them to perplex the predators. However, basic self-defense technique is to remain still. Moreover, they can squirt blood from the corner of their eyes up to a maximum distance of 5 ft. this is done by compressing and there by rupturing of blood vessels passing through head. The squirted blood has some special chemical in it which is the reason for it to taste bad for the predator. This squirting of blood from eye ducts is another unique property of horned lizards.