Common lizard. The most unusual and amazing lizards on earth

The bearded agama (Pogona vitticeps) is a lizard that even a novice terrariumist can have. Nature endowed this creature with an amazing appearance and sufficient unpretentiousness for life at home. Motherland bearded dragon is the Australian continent. At one time, the Australian authorities very strictly controlled the export of representatives of the local fauna, but still the relatives of the agama fell outside the mainland and began to successfully breed in other territories that were quite suitable for them in terms of habitat conditions. The bearded agama is amazing not only in its appearance, but also in the name directly associated with it. The Latin word Pogona in translation just means the presence of a beard, and vitticeps has an even more bizarre meaning - “bulb headband”. So that latin name lizard indicates the presence of leathery spikes around the ears, on the head and throat of the agama. These spikes just imitate a beard. The British, because of this sign, even called the agama the bearded dragon - the central bearded dragon. And another one unique ability bearded dragon - change color when the lizard is frightened or worried. In this state, the bearded agama brightens, and its paws acquire a bright yellow or orange hue. The color of the lizard can also change depending on the ambient temperature.

tree agama

Already from the name of the tree agamas of the species Agama atricollis it is clear that nature, for sure, has adapted these lizards to an arboreal lifestyle. And above all, she gave them a patronizing coloration. Try to see the tree agama in the lush greenery of the tropical African forest - you are unlikely to succeed. Its variable brownish, olive or green body easily merges with foliage or tree bark, and its elongated shape can resemble anything - a protruding branch, an outgrowth on a trunk, or a piece of the same bark. The sharp claws of the tree agama help it deftly move through the trees. But there are also atypical representatives of Agama atricollis, for example, with a bright blue head. By the way, these lizards are excellent camouflage. Despite the incredulity and not the easiest taming, they like to keep tree agamas in terrariums. True, this is possible only if they are provided with suitable conditions - temperature, humidity, food. Tree agamas are rather capricious creatures and can easily wither away if something is in environment they will not like it, that is, not for health reasons. And do not expect devotion and affection from the lizard, it is not easy to make contact and at first it can be afraid of the owners, and after getting used to ignore it.

bengal monitor lizard

The Bengal monitor lizard (Varanus bengalensis) is a reptile that has a body size of up to 2 meters, as a rule, on average it does not exceed 170 cm. These animals have a slender body and a narrow, noticeably pointed head in front. Their tail is of moderate length, laterally compressed and has a low double keel along its upper edge. The body of monitor lizards is dark olive in color, covered on top with numerous speckles and round yellow spots. They are transverse lines. Adult representatives of this species are uniformly colored yellow, brownish-olive or brownish-gray, on which dark spots are barely distinguishable.

Cape monitor lizard

The Cape monitor lizard is also called the Bosca monitor lizard or the steppe monitor lizard (lat. Varanus exanthematicus) is a species of reptile from the monitor lizard family. This name of this species is erroneous, since this animal does not live in the Cape Mountains, but since it was first brought to Europe and described from South Africa, this name stuck with him to this day.
Subspecies of this lizard are not distinguished. However, some herpetologists in their works describe 4 subspecies based on their habitat, but almost all taxonomists recognized them as invalid, and the species is considered integral.
These animals in adult form have a body length with a tail of 80 - 110 cm and up to 2 meters. Their body is atypical for monitor lizards, as it is rather overweight, but it fully corresponds to the life activity that the animal leads. That is, it is aimed at the endurance of the body and saving vital energy, and not at climbing trees and diving in water.
Cape monitor lizards have a short body and muzzle, it has obliquely set nostrils, shaped like slits, located very close to the eyes. These animals have short fingers with very large claws. The body of the lizard is covered with small scales, the tail is laterally compressed and has a double crest on the upper edge. The color of these reptiles has a gray-brown gamut with yellow stripes and spots. The lower side of the body of the monitor lizard is lighter than the back, the throat is yellowish-white, and brown and yellow rings are pronounced on the tail.

Komodo monitor lizard

komodo dragon got its name due to the fact that its habitat is the small island of Komodo in Eastern Indonesia, where in 1912 it was described as a separate species. These reptiles have hardly changed over the past 2 million years. They take their origin from ancient snakes, having inherited from them a poisonous gland.
Komodo dragons are the largest reptiles on earth. Their dimensions can reach up to 3 meters in length with a weight of 150 kg. Wild monitor lizards are significantly inferior in size to their relatives, which are kept in captivity.
Juveniles of this species are quite brightly colored. From above, they are of a beautiful light chestnut color, which smoothly turns into green-yellow on the nape and neck, and carrot-orange on the shoulders and back. According to such colors, reddish-orange spots and rings are arranged in transverse rows on the body of the animal, which can merge into continuous stripes on the neck and tail. Over time, the color of monitor lizards changes to a uniform dark brown color, on which dirty yellow speckles can sometimes be found.

Nile monitor

The Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus) is another huge amount lizard representatives.
In length, these animals can reach up to 2 meters, although such individuals are very rare. As a rule, the body size of a monitor lizard is 1.7 meters, of which 1 meter falls on the tail. In reptiles of this species, the tail is laterally flattened and equipped with a longitudinal keel (crest) on top. On the head there are no longitudinal rows of wide scales above the eyes, the nostrils are round and set closer to the anterior margin of the eye. The teeth of monitor lizards are cone-shaped in front, and with blunt crowns in the back.
The body color of the lizards is a dark yellowish-green gamut, against which there is a beautiful pattern of irregular transverse stripes formed by small yellow specks and spots. Between the shoulders and groin are horseshoe-shaped yellow spots, and in front of the shoulders is a black semicircular stripe. The color of the tail in its lower part is yellow with transverse stripes, and the first aunt of the tail has yellow-green rings.

striped monitor lizard

The striped monitor lizard (Varanus salvator) is a species of animal that belongs to the class of reptiles. It has many names, depending on where it is distributed. On the island of Bali, striped monitor lizards are called "Alyu", and on the island of Flores - "Veti". In other areas of Malaysia and Indonesia, these animals are called "Biawak Air" by the local population. In Thailand, they are called nothing more than “Khiah”, but more often they use the term “Tua-nguyen-tua-tong”. In Sri Lanka, striped monitors are called "Karabaragoya", while in Bengal they are called "Ram godhika", "Pani godhi" or "Pani goisap". In the Philippines, these monitors are called "Halo", but the most commonly used name is "Bayavac".

monitor lizard gray

The gray monitor lizard (Varanus griseus) is a representative of the lizard suborder of the reptile class. The size of an adult animal, together with the tail, can reach a length of 150 cm, and weight up to 3.5 kg. The body of this animal is massive, equipped with strong legs with curved claws on the fingers. Like most monitor lizards, the gray monitor lizard has a very strong and long rounded tail. The color of the scales merges with the surrounding background, which is a good remedy for shelter from enemies and for catching prey, because not every animal is able to recognize the body of an animal that is grayish-brown with a reddish tint, which hid on the steppe plain. The lizard has dark spots and dots scattered all over its body, and almost parallel stripes run across the back and tail of the same color. On the head of the reptile are curved nostrils that open near the eyes. Such anatomical structure make it easier for the animal to explore holes, since the nostrils are not clogged with sand. The gray monitor lizard has strong and long teeth, in the oral cavity there are sharp, slightly recurved teeth that help to hold the victim. Throughout the life of the animal, they are erased and replaced with new ones.

Madagascar day gecko

Among the representatives of the tropical fauna there are a lot of truly beautiful animals, often painted in amazingly bright colors. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the very nature of the tropics is distinguished by a riot of colors. For example, in tropical latitudes there are exotic birds painted in incredible shades, as well as exotic lizards, one of which will be discussed in this article. The Madagascar day gecko (Phelsuma madagascariensis) deserves to be known not only to herpetologists and avid terrariumists. Although among lovers of exotic reptiles, he is rightfully called a veteran of terrariums. What is so unusual about the daytime Madagascar gecko? First of all, it is a bright color of the body. Moreover, the colors that nature gave to this lizard are unlikely to find analogues among artificially created shades. The body of the Madagascar day gecko is rich velvety green in contrast with large bright red spots along its back. Moreover, different representatives of the species may have a variable color, for example, be green-blue with several small red patches or pure green with a red stripe on the back. The Madagascar gecko is named diurnal in accordance with the daily rhythms of its life. The lizard lives, as the name suggests, only in Madagascar and belongs to the genus Felsum, endemic to this island. By the way, one of the most common and largest subspecies of the Madagascar day gecko is called Phelsuma madagascariensis grandis for its amazing appearance.

gecko madagascar

The Madagascar flat-tailed gecko, along with the common gecko, belongs to the celebrities of the tropical fauna because of its amazing appearance. It has the unique ability to change body color depending on ambient temperature and lighting. In the sun, the Madagascar gecko is deep green, and in the shade it can easily turn olive, brown, or even lose its green and put on a gray outfit. In bright sunlight, the body of the lizard acquires a lemon hue, but if you look at it against the light, the gecko is already aquamarine with a deep tail. blue color. This flat-tailed lizard is named for its wide and flattened top and bottom tail with serrated edges. And although the flat-tailed gecko is also classified as a Madagascar species, its habitat is not limited to this island. Broad-tailed lizards are also found in the Seychelles and Hawaii, however, scientists believe that reptiles were brought there, while Madagascar is their natural homeland. In size, flat-tailed Madagascar geckos are inferior to ordinary day geckos, but otherwise they have similar features. Which ones - read in the relevant sections. And of course, these lizards, like day geckos, are popular "exhibits" of terrarium collections. But in order for the flat-tailed gecko to always be alert, healthy and bright, it is especially necessary to maintain a suitable level of moisture in the environment. But for ordinary day geckos, this is not the most important indicator.

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 line of reptiles. The main distinguishing feature of its representatives is the male's paired copulatory organs (hemipenises), located on both sides of the anus at the base of the tail. These are tubular formations that can turn inside out or retract inward like the fingers of a glove. Everted hemipenis serve for internal fertilization of the female during mating. Lizards and snakes form a squamous squad - Squamata (from 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 lines of squamates with reduced limbs, form the suborder Serpentes. The suborder of lizards combines several very different evolutionary lines. For simplicity, we can say that "lizards" are all scaly, except for 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 (as in 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 the rudiments of the sternum and shoulder girdle (the skeletal support of the forelimbs); both are completely absent in snakes.
Distribution and some species. Lizards are widely distributed throughout the world. Absent in Antarctica, they are found from the southern tip of other continents to the south of 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 below sea level, for example in Death Valley in California, up to 5500 m above sea level in the Himalayas. Known ca. 3800 of their 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 with a weight of 135 kg. Despite the widespread belief that many lizards are poisonous, there are only two such species - the vest (Heloderma suspectum) from the southwestern United States and the related escorpion (H. horridum) from Mexico.

Collier Encyclopedia. - Open society. 2000 .

See what "LIZARDS" are in other dictionaries:

- (Saurra), suborder of scaly. Appeared in the Triassic. Ancestors of snakes. The body is valky, flattened, laterally compressed or cylindrical, various colors. Skin in horny scales. Length from 3.5 cm to 4 m (lizards). The anterior part of the skull is not ... ... Biological encyclopedic dictionary

Suborder of reptiles of the scaly order. The body length is from several cm to 3 m or more (Komodo lizard), 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 cells; usually equipped with an anterior girdle and always have a sternum; in most cases with 4 limbs, ... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

"Lizard" redirects here; see also other meanings. ? Lizards ... Wikipedia

- (Sauria) suborder (or squad) of reptiles of the squad (or subclass) scaly. Body length from 3.5 cm to 3 m (Komodo dragon). The body is valky, 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 animals of the class. From differ in the presence of limbs () and movable eyelids. Length from 3.5 cm to 4 m. The body is covered with horny scales. I. extended to… … Encyclopedia "Animals in the House"

A lizard is an animal that belongs to the class of reptiles (reptiles). To date, almost 6,000 species are known. Representatives of families can be very different, some rare species are listed in the Red Book. Both reptiles with legs and some legless forms are called lizards. Reptiles can be vegetarians and eat animal food. Some varieties are suitable for keeping at home.

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Description

Unlike snakes, these reptiles have divided eyelids. Their body is elastic, elongated, ends in a long tail. Paws are proportional, clawed.

According to general characteristics, the body is covered with keratinized scales, which change several times a year. The tongue can have a different shape, it is usually movable and extends from the mouth. It is with them that lizards catch prey. On both sides of the head are the organs of hearing, which are covered by eardrums.

real lizard

The most common reptile is the real lizard. Her body length is 40 cm.

Teeth are used to tear and grind food. Monitor lizards cut their prey with them.

The only venomous species of lizard is the gila-tooth.



Reptiles live on every continent except Antarctica. Representatives familiar to Russia - real lizards - live almost everywhere. All species move on different surfaces, firmly clinging to irregularities. Rock lizards are excellent jumpers, the height of their jump reaches 4 m.



Tail

Lizards are capable of autotomy, which is used in case of danger: muscle contraction allows you to break the cartilaginous formations of the vertebrae and discard part of the tail, narrowing the blood vessels, while losing blood almost never happens. This distracts the enemy, and the animal avoids the attack.

The tail of the reptile is quickly restored in a shortened form. Sometimes not one, but several grows back.



Color

Lizards have a color that combines green, white, gray and brown. The species that live in the desert exactly repeat the shade of the surrounding area. This is their defense mechanism.

Desert species are able to change body color. These include calot - a reptile with a red head. Among reptiles there are albinos - these are lizards white color devoid of pigment.



The giant lizard has a black and yellow color.



giant lizard

Salamanders are black with yellow spots.



Salamander

Geckos have special colors. Some of them are pink with a blue tail.





Floor

There are a number of signs that allow you to roughly determine gender. It is possible to distinguish a male from a femaleonly in adulthood, as sexual dimorphism developslate.

Male individuals of some species, according to the description, have a crest on the back and head, large pores on the hips. Another feature of the male is the spurs on the paws.

Find out gender certain types can be along the throat "bags", preanal shields and enlarged scales behind the cloaca.

However, only a blood test for testosterone levels can accurately distinguish a male from a female. They make it at the vet.

Varieties

Lizard species are divided into 6 infraorders, which consist of 37 families.

Each of them has its own characteristics.

Skinks

The order includes 7 families with the following names:

• real lizards;
• night lizards;
• herrosaurus;
• skink;
• teiids;
• belttails;
• hymnophthalmids.



Large Herrosaur

iguanas

The order includes 14 families. Some of the representatives of these lizards are real iguanas. These are large reptiles that can reach a length of 2 m. They live mainly in tropical forests.

A prominent representative of the detachment is also a chameleon that inhabits Africa, Madagascar, the countries of the East, the USA. Its peculiarity lies in the ability to change skin color depending on the environment.



Chameleon

In the forests of Cameroon, there is a four-horned chameleon, which got its name because of the characteristic outgrowths on its head. In males, only three "horns" can be developed; in females, they usually do not have them.

geckos

The order consists of 7 families.

Its representative can be called a scalefoot, which lives in Australia.



Scalelegs

Fusiform

The order includes 2 superfamilies and 5 families.

These include monitor lizards, earless monitor lizards, fusiform, legless, xenosaurs.

Large xenosaurus

worm-like

The detachment consists of 2 genera and a family of worm-like lizards, which outwardly resemble worms.

They inhabit Indonesia, China, New Guinea, Philippines.



worm lizard

monitor lizards

The order includes several families, which consist of the largest lizards.

Typical representatives are monitor lizard and gilatooth, which are found in the United States and Mexico.



komodo dragon

Suborder lizards

The order includes the superfamily Shinisaurus.

It includes one species, the crocodile shinizaurus.



Crocodile shinizaurus

record holders

Of the currently existing representatives of lizards, the largest is the Komodo monitor lizard. Some individuals have huge dimensions, reaching three meters in length and a weight of 85 kg in adulthood. A lizard weighing 91.7 kg is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. These reptiles eat small animals, but can also attack larger prey. The Komodo dragon feeds on wild boars, wild goats, and cattle.

The smallest lizards in the world are the Haraguan sphero and the Virginian round-toed gecko. Their dimensions do not exceed 19 mm, weight - 0.2 g.

home views

Various geckos are especially popular with owners.



Pink with gray tail hemiteconix

If you need a calm pet for children, it is better to havegemiteconyx. They possess different color depending on the breed. Their tail accumulates nutrients, which they use as a reserve in the absence of food. Because of this, the tail looks gray, while the body is most often pink. This is a reptile with a very expressive look.



Felzuma

If you want to keep at homethe animal is more active, you can choose a felsum. She has a beautiful emerald color. It can be observed during daylight hours.

At home, they also contain varieties of agamas. The most popular of them are bearded and woody. The first got its name due to the neck bag, which, when frightened or in mating season stretches and darkens. Tree, or black-throated agama is also able to change skin tone. Such pets are reluctant to make contact with the owner and prefer to hide.



Many lizards eat insects. They prefer various crickets, mealworms, raw eggs or pieces of meat, a mixture of chopped boiled chicken, carrots and lettuce.

Supplement food with supplements of vitamins and minerals. In a terrarium for home maintenance, there must be water. If the pet refuses food, but drinks, there is no reason for concern: the lizard simply reduced its activity and did not get hungry.

reproduction

The mating season is in spring and summer. large species breed once a season, small - several times a year. Males are in conflict, approaching each other from the side, trying to look bigger. The small one surrenders without a fight and retreats.

If the males are of the same size, a fight ensues between them, during which they use their teeth. The winner gets the right to the female. In some species, a violation in the sex ratio leads to parthenogenesis - females lay eggs without the participation of males. In lizards, there are 2 types of reproduction: live birth and laying eggs.

Females of small reptiles lay no more than 4 eggs, large ones - up to 18. The mass of one varies from 4 to 200 g. The size of a round-toed gecko egg is no more than 6 mm in diameter. In the monitor lizard, it reaches 10 cm in length.

The laying of females is buried in the ground, hidden in burrows. The incubation period lasts from 3 weeks to one and a half months. It depends on the climate. Having hatched, the cubs begin an independent life.

Pregnancy lasts 3 months, the embryos of northern species hibernate in the womb. Their life span does not exceed 5 years.

Order Squamata Oppel = Scaled

Systematics of the suborder: Lacertilia Owen = Lizards
Family: Agamidae Gray, 1827 = Agamas, agamas (lizards)
Family: Anelytropsidae Boulenger = American worm lizards
Family: Anguidae Gray, 1835 = spindles, spindles
Family: Anniellidae Cope = legless lizards
Family: Chamaeleonidae Gray, 1825 = Chameleons
Family: Cordylidae Mertens, 1937 = Belttails
Family: Dibamidae Boulenger = worm-like lizards
Family: Gekkonidae Gray, 1825 = Geckos, [grasping] lizards
Family: Helodermatidae Gray, 1837 = Yadozuby
Family: Iguanidae Gray, 1827 = Iguanas, iguanas
Family: Lacertidae Fitzinger, 1826 = True lizards, Lacertids
Family: Lanthanotidae Gray, 1825 = Earless monitor lizards
Family: Pygopodidae Gray, 1845 = Scalefoot
Family: Scincidae Gray, 1825 = Skinks, skinks
Family: Teiidae Gray, 1827 = Teiidae, American monitor lizards
Genus: Ameiva Meyer = Ameiva
Species: Ameiva ameiva = Giant, or North American ameiva
Species: Ameiva polops = Island ameiva
Family: Varanidae Gray, 1827 = Monitor lizards
Family: Xantusiidae Baird, 1858 = Night lizards
Family: Xenosauridae Cope, 1827 = Xenosaurs

Brief description of the detachment

Most lizards are quadrupedal reptiles whose elongated body is covered with horny scales, scutes or grains.. Sizes from 3.5 cm to 4 m (weight up to 150 kg). Among modern representatives of the suborder, forms are widely represented both with well-developed five-fingered limbs and without them; there are transitions between these two extremes, and the loss of legs is usually accompanied by a significant lengthening of the body. Species lacking limbs always retain vestiges of the sternum or other bones of the anterior girdle.
Eyes in most species, they are equipped with movable eyelids, but in geckos, naked eyes and some other lizards, they grow together and turn into transparent films before the eyes. In some species, the eyes are completely hidden under the skin, through which they appear in the form of dark spots. There are eardrums. Bladder usually available. The anterior part of the braincase is not completely ossified. The right and left branches of the lower jaw are connected to each other motionlessly. There is one (upper) temporal arch formed by the squamous, frontal, or postorbital bones. In some lizards, for example, in a number of species of the skink family, this arch is directly adjacent to the parietal bone, as a result of which the superotemporal fenestra may be absent; in others, for example, in all geckos, there is no temporal arch at all, the postorbital arch is usually developed. The pterygoid bones are connected in front to the palatine bones, by which they are thus separated from the vomer. Most lizards have a cranial column, but in some agamas it is greatly reduced. The quadrate bone is usually mobile. The teeth are attached to the outer edge of the jaws (acrodont) or from their inner side (pleurodont). Often there are also teeth on the palatine, pterygoid, and some other bones.
About 3500 species, 20 families and almost 370 genera are known. In the CIS, there are 77 species belonging to 6 families and 18 genera.
Peculiarities scaly cover lizards have great importance when defining. The scales of the body in most groups differ significantly in shape, structure, and size. Dorsal scales are smooth, tuberculate, conical, ribbed, etc. Very small scales are called grains, large scales are called scutes. The scutes on the head reach a significant variety in shape, size and location, where each of them has its own name. In some species, the neck is separated from the body by a row of enlarged scales - a collar, in front of which there is a more or less pronounced transverse throat fold. In a number of species of lizards, in addition to large scutes, there are small scales on the head located between the upper ciliary and supraorbital, frontal and supraorbital, as well as in front and behind the supraorbital scutes. In other cases, the head is covered on top with numerous small, irregularly polygonal scutes or scales.
In some lizards, the dorsal scales are almost the same as the ventral ones, but in most the lower surface of the body is covered with enlarged scutes. On the chest, the shields are usually arranged in a triangle or in a different order; the ventrals go in more or less regular rows, parallel or somewhat oblique with respect to each other. In front of the cloacal fissure, many lizards have an anal shield, in front of which there are sometimes relatively large preanals.
Representatives of some families have special formations on the lower surface of the thigh, the so-called femoral pores; each pore pierces one scale, and all together they are grouped in a row located along the thigh. From the femoral pores during the reproduction period, columns of keratinized cells are protruded, the role of which is not entirely clear. If the row is shortened to 1-3 pores, then they are called inguinal. Some geckos have so-called anal pores, which are a continuation of the femoral in the lower abdomen. Geckos also have postcloacal pores, one on each side of the lower surface of the base of the tail; the opening of such a pore leads to a small pouch, in the anterior wall of which, in males, there is a small curved bone.
The caudal scales are arranged in more or less irregular oblique or regular transverse rows (rings). In a number of cases, the number of scales around the ninth to tenth ring is used as a sign that allows one to determine the type of lizard. Rings should be counted on the lower surface of the tail from the first row of large ventral scales located directly behind the small scales of the precloacal fold.
Vision, especially in diurnal forms, well developed; some species are able to distinguish colors; in this regard, the coloring acquires a signal value. Most have developed a parietal eye, usually regarded as a receptor for the light regime and its seasonal changes. Hearing is well developed; the middle ear has a tympanic membrane; in some species it may be covered by skin. Some lizards make sounds. The means of locomotion are varied: from swimming (marine iguanas), climbing trees and gliding (flying dragon) to moving on loose sands and sheer cliffs and walls (geckos).
According to the degree of development of the femoral and anal pores in many lizards, one can determine gender. The easiest way to determine the sex of geckos, the females of which are devoid of pores at all. Sex determination in most other lizard species requires some practice. So, in males of the family Lacertidae, especially childbirth Lacerta and Eremias, the femoral pores are better developed than in females and have a slightly different shape, occupying almost the entire scale in which each individual pore is incised. Agamas do not have such pores, but there are shallow, so-called precloacal pores, occupying almost the entire surface of the scales, located immediately in front of the cloacal fissure; the allocation of these pores give the scales the appearance of a kind of callus. There are other secondary sex signs to determine sex. Thus, the base of the tail in males gradually thins backwards, while in females this transition is much more pronounced. The sex of freshly killed lizards can be easily determined by the presence or absence of characteristic male genitalia, which usually turn outward immediately when pressure is applied to the base of the tail. In fixed animals, to detect them, it is necessary to make a short longitudinal incision, starting from the lower surface of the base of the tail down. In some species, there are sexual differences in coloration.
Many lizards, being captured, throw off their tail. In the future, a new tail of a slightly modified shape grows in place of the fallen one. A restored (regenerated) tail is usually easy to recognize by a slightly different scale, and often by the color of the regenerated part.
most lizards multiply, laying eggs, but some species are ovoviviparous (fusiparous, viviparous lizard). Food varied: from small invertebrates to large prey ( giant monitor lizard harvests wild pigs and deer from Komodo Island). Food specialization is expressed in marine iguanas (they eat algae) and some lizards that feed mainly on either termites or slugs. Eating various harmful insects and shellfish, benefit agriculture and forestry. poisonous species among the lizards of our fauna there is none.
A large number of lizard species are found in the CIS, of which most live in the south of the country. But some of them, such as, for example, viviparous and agile lizards ( Lacerta vivipara, L. agilis) are distributed far to the north. In the deserts of Central Asia, roundheads are common ( Phrynocephalus), characterized by a rounded head on a movable neck, their body is covered with small horny tubercles. In houses and among rocks southern regions USSR at night you can meet peculiar geckos ( Geckonidae), deftly running along the walls, and even along the ceiling. In the deserts of Central Asia, a large lizard lives - a gray monitor lizard ( Varanus griseus), the length of which reaches 1.5 m. Monitor lizards living on Komodo Island (Indonesia) reach 3 m.
When identifying lizards, the features of the scaly cover of the body are of great importance, in particular the number and location of individual large head shields.

Literature:
1. Key to amphibians and reptiles of the fauna of the USSR. Proc. allowance for students of biol. specialties ped. in-comrade. M., "Enlightenment", 1977. 415 p. from ill.; 16 l. ill.
2. Course of zoology. B. A. Kuznetsov, A. Z. Chernov, L. N. Katonova. Moscow, 1989
3. A.G. Bannikov, I.S. Darevsky, A.K. Rustamov. Amphibians and reptiles of the USSR. Publishing house "Thought", Moscow, 1971
4. Naumov N. P., Kartashev N. N. Vertebrate Zoology. - Part 2. - Reptiles, birds, mammals: A textbook for biologist. specialist. Univ. - M.: Higher. school, 1979. - 272 p., ill.

Lizards are reptiles. Most of them have a long tail and 4 legs. But there are also types of lizards that have no legs at all. Only specialists can distinguish them from snakes. The species diversity of this group of reptiles is enormous. They differ not only in size, body structure and color, but also in habits. Moreover, people often call reptiles that are not lizards. In order not to make mistakes, it is useful to know what lizards are.

Data resides especially in many places

general description

These reptiles feel great in forests, mountains, steppes and deserts. Some varieties of lizards have adapted to live in water.

Most reptiles are small in size from 20 to 40 cm, but there are also very large lizards, such as pearl. The length of her body exceeds 80 cm. They live on our planet and giant lizards. It's about Komodo dragons. Their growth can reach 3 meters.

Separately, it is worth mentioning very small lizards. On average, their height barely reaches 10 cm. South American geckos are considered the smallest of them - their body length with a tail rarely exceeds 4 cm.

The coloration of reptiles is varied. Most often, their scales are painted in those colors that allow them to better camouflage on the ground: green, brown and gray.

Individual representatives of this group of reptiles have a very bright color, consisting of red or blue flowers.

They don't have a voice

Lizards have several characteristic features:

1. They have highly mobile eyelids, for example, snakes, which are their closest relatives, have fused eyelids, so they can hardly move their eyeballs.
2. These reptiles, if necessary, can get rid of their tail. When attacked by a predator, the animal breaks its spine and discards the organ, which wriggles for some time, distracting the attention of the enemy.
3. Lizards do not have vocal cords, so they do not make sounds.
4. They have small ears. You can find them on both sides of the head.

Scientists know of only one species that makes at least some sounds - this is the Shtekhlin and Simon lizard. In case of danger, she is able to emit a thin squeak.

Reproduction features

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 will soon leave the battlefield. When both fighters are in equal weight categories, then it can come to serious bloodshed. The winning male is rewarded with a female.

Can lay up to 18 eggs

In some species, the sex ratio is broken, 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 the help of eggs and live birth. 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 the rodents they have killed. The egg maturation period lasts from several weeks to 1.5 months. After the appearance of the babies, 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 falls on the winter. The young are born in winter.

In this video you will learn more about lizards:

Squads of reptiles

Biologists divide all lizards into 6 orders, each of which includes about thirty families. The orders of reptiles are:

1. Skin-like. The order is rich in species diversity. It includes real lizards, widely represented in Russia, but most species live in the tropical regions of the planet. Skink reptiles are found in South America and Africa, Madagascar and Cuba. Separate varieties were discovered by scientists in the Sahara Desert.
2. Iguanas. This order includes 14 families of reptiles. The most famous of these is the chameleon found in South America and Madagascar.
3. Geckos. Reptiles belonging to this order are considered rare. It includes lizards that do not have legs. They are found in Australia.
4. Fusiform. These include monitor lizards.
5. Worm lizards. These are the so-called worms. Outwardly, reptiles look more like huge earthworms. They can be found in the tropical rainforests of Indochina, Indonesia, and Mexico.
6. 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 venomous lizard - the gila teeth. During an attack on their prey, they not only bite it, but also inject a dangerous poison under the skin.

Some species can be pets

Pets

Increasingly, people have unusual pets in their homes. It can be insects, spiders and reptiles. Lizards in this list occupy the lion's share. The reason for such popularity of reptiles lies in their cute appearance, calm behavior and relative friendliness. Lizards may well replace a cat or dog.

Panther chameleon

Furcifer pardalis is native to Madagascar. The lizard looks very bright, and its color largely depends on the place where it was born. Male individuals can reach a length of 50 cm, but only in natural conditions. When kept at home, their body length rarely exceeds 25 cm. Females are even smaller. The life span of a panther chameleon does not exceed 6 years.

Females have a less bright color, which is almost the same in different regions of their habitat. Males, on the contrary, are very bright and very different from each other. According to them appearance experienced specialists can determine where this or that individual appeared. The most popular varieties are:

1. Ambilobe chameleon. Born in the northern part of the island between two villages.
2. Sambava. It lives in the northeastern part of Madagascar.
3. The tamatave chameleon is a coastal dweller in the east of the island.

Easily fed from human hands

At home, a panther chameleon should be kept in a terrarium. In the first months of life, a small dwelling measuring 30x30x50 cm is enough for a lizard, but then it will need a larger house.

To bring the pet's living conditions closer to natural, branches, artificial and living plants are laid inside the terrarium. Of the latter, dracaena and ficus should be distinguished. Chameleons love to climb steep surfaces, which means that snags and creepers should be in the serpentarium. The top of the dwelling must be tightly closed. If the cover is removed, then the chameleons, despite their slowness, will quickly run away.

Panther and other types of chameleons do not like human contact. They love peace. If you take a reptile in your hands, then you need to do this only from below. Seeing movement from above, the reptile will regard it as a threat. Over time, chameleons get used to their owners and even begin to recognize them. They willingly approach people during feeding.

This reptile prefers to live in close proximity to water bodies, on the banks of which there are large stones or branches. On them, the agama is heated on sunny days.

The lizard has strong paws with large claws, which are not a weapon, but a tool for convenient movement on various surfaces. The strong and wide tail allows the reptile to swim quickly.

The water agama is considered a large lizard. Taking into account the tail, the length of the female can reach 60 cm. The males are even larger - up to 1 meter. Males differ from females not only in size, but also in color. Moreover, these differences in young lizards are rather weakly expressed.

For home maintenance of a water agama, you will need a very large terrarium. Young individuals can huddle in a 100-liter aquarium for some time, but then the living space for them will have to be significantly expanded.

It’s not for nothing that Agama is called a water agama - she loves to be in the water

Inside the terrarium, be sure to put thick branches. As a substrate, you can use paper and coconut flakes. But the sand is not suitable - the lizard will eat it.

The terraria should have a heating zone with a constant air temperature of +35 °C. Heating is best provided with the help of lamps, since lizards spend most of their time climbing onto snags.

Agamas love to swim, so you need to place a pond inside the terrarium. In addition, you will have to maintain the humidity of the air at least 60%. You can do this with a spray gun.

There should not be 2 males in one terrarium. They will not be able to get along and will definitely fight.

Eublefar or spotted gecko is perhaps the most popular species among lovers of keeping exotics at home. This lizard is very calm and peaceful. She feels great in small terraria. Geckos are easy to care for. In addition, this type of reptile is distinguished by a variety of colors.

In nature, eublefar lives in the dry steppes and rocky semi-deserts of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. The lizard is active at dusk and early in the morning. At this time, the air temperature is most comfortable for her.

Spotted geckos prefer to live alone. They jealously guard their territory. Males prefer to communicate with females only during the mating season.

One gecko will thrive in a 50 liter terrarium. However, if the owner plans to breed these reptiles, then you will have to buy a larger terrarium.

Eublefar cannot walk on smooth terrain

Can't climb smooth surfaces, so the dwelling can not be covered with a lid. But if there are other pets at home, especially cats, then it is better to close the terrarium.

In one house, you can safely keep several females at once, if they are of the same age and size. There will be no enmity between them. But the males will certainly fight. Moreover, males do not get along with females. They will take food from females and slaughter them, so males should be kept alone.

In a terrarium, spotted geckos should have places with high and low temperatures. The maximum temperature indicators are +32 °C, the minimum - not lower than +22 °C. This parameter must be monitored with two thermometers. Overheating or hypothermia will lead to pet illnesses.

collared iguana

This medium-sized lizard lives in the southeastern United States. Its maximum length, together with the tail, is 35 cm. Under natural conditions, it lives for about 8 years, and in captivity - no more than 4.

The collared iguana is a very strong and fast predator. According to biologists, if its size were comparable to the size of monitor lizards, it would easily displace the latter. This reptile effectively preys on other reptiles and rodents. She does not disdain insects.

The iguana moves very fast. Accelerating to a speed of 26 km / h, it attacks prey and kills it with powerful jaws in several movements.

The lizard has a high metabolism, so keeping it at home is not easy, because you have to feed it often. Large cockroaches, beetles, mice serve as food.

An iguana needs a spacious enclosure with an ultraviolet heater. You can keep it in a terrarium, but then it must be very large. The temperature in the lizard's dwelling should be maintained at +27 ° C, and in the heating zone - up to + 41-43 ° C. There is no need to make a separate pond, it is enough to put a drinking bowl. Spray water from a spray bottle from time to time.

Communication with iguanas should be careful. They are hard to get used to the hands of a person and, if handled carelessly, can injure their jaws.