Brookesia micra

Juvenile Brookesia micra

While we're on the topic of animals in the news, lets discuss the discovery of the world's smallest chameleon. Scientists recently identified four new members of the Brookesia genus in Madagascar. They were all first spotted between 2003 and 2007. All of them are very small, but B. micra takes the cake.

As adults, these mini Chameleons measure only an inch from snout to tail. And as you can see from that picture, the juveniles are much smaller than that!

Brookesia micra has only been found on the island of Nosy Hara. The small size of the island most likely contributed to the minute size of the animal. Many island species exhibit dwarfism due to limited space and resources.

Because the species is still very new to science, we don't know a whole lot about them. We're not even sure how threatened they are. Habitat loss is typically a big deal for island animals, but the small size of these Chameleon may mean that they are able to live in areas that are inaccessible to humans.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Madagascar
Size : Total Length up to 1.2in (3cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : Squamata
Family : Chamaeleonidae -- Genus : Brookesia -- Species : B. micra

Desert Iguana

Dipsosaurus dorsalis

The name "Iguana" usually brings up images of gigantic green lizards hanging out in rainforests. Today's Iguana is a little bit different, sporting a dry desert habitat and sandy-colored, brown spotted scales. He is the appropriately named Desert Iguana, and he hails from the Southwestern United States.

Desert Iguanas are actually incredibly common throughout their range, and even though temperatures can hit well over 115° F (46° C) they are still most active during the daytime. If temperatures do get exceptionally high they seek out shade. Shady areas include burrows that they build or take over after other animals (like foxes) have abandoned them.

The yellow flowers of the Creosote Bush are their favorite food, but they eat many other plants as well. They will additionally feed on insects here and there, as well as on carrion and on feces pellets (yuck?). They breed from April to May, laying up to 10 eggs at a time. The hatchlings emerge around September.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed

Location : Southwest United States
Size : Length up to 16in (41cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Sauropsida -- Order : Squamata
Family : Iguanidae -- Genus : Dipsosaurus -- Species : D. dorsalis

Savannah Monitor

Varanus exanthematicus

Savannah Monitors are one of the more popular Monitor Lizard species to be kept in captivity. This is due to their small(er) size, docile attitude, and general toleration of handling. (Disclaimer: Don't just go out and buy a 4ft long lizard! Please do your homework, and buy from a responsible source!)

Anyway, in the wild Savannah Monitors can be found in the warm climates of Sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the Savannah name, there is a misconception that they are a desert dwelling species, but obviously this is not the case. They are found in grassland regions and are a primarily ground-dwelling species.

Savannah Monitors have two main activities in life-- eating and basking in the sun. They feed on invertebrates, rodents, and smaller reptiles. They themselves are prey for birds, larger reptiles, and humans (who hunt them for skins and meat). The Lizards have pretty decent camouflage, so their main defensive strategy is to stay undetected. But if threatened, they have a strong bite and a powerful lashing tail in their arsenal.

The species is listed as being of Least Concern, but they face many human-related threats. It is estimated that  around 100,000 are exported every single year, either for the pet trade or for leather. For now, studies show that that number may be sustainable, though in some localized areas the population is on a decline.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : Sub-Saharan Africa
Size : Length up to 4.5ft (1.4m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : Squamata
Family : Varanidae -- Genus : Varanus -- Species : V. exanthematicus

Gold Dust Day Gecko

Phelsuma laticauda

The Gold Dust Day Gecko is a smallish Gecko, named for the gold specks that develop on their backs and legs as they age. They also happen to be diurnal, giving them the second part of their common name.

The species is native to Madagascar and the Comoros Islands, but they have also been introduced to far away Hawaii, and inhabit several of the islands in that chain. They live in trees and (now) near human establishments. The Geckos live solitary lifestyles, and males can be very aggressive when it comes to their territory.

It isn't just adult males that can be testy, juveniles can be just as aggressive. Up to five pairs of eggs are laid during the breeding season, and they will hatch after a month and a half. The young geckos are only about an inch long at the time of hatching and they disperse quickly, as fighting can occur (the male territoriality starts young!).

Gold Dust Day Geckos are omnivores, feeding on insects, smaller lizards, nectar, and fruits. They can sometimes be found en masse, congregating around a single plant in order to feed. The Geckos can also be very bold in human areas, entering kitchens and snatching food right off the countertops!

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Madagascar
Size : Length up to 6in (15cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : Squamata
Family : Gekkonidae -- Genus : Phelsuma -- Species : P. laticauda

White-Throated Monitor

Varanus albigularis albigularis

The White-Throated Monitor is a subspecies of Rock Monitor that lives in both open and wooded habitats in southern Africa. They have very muscular limbs, long bodies, and powerful tails. Their tails are so strong, in fact, that when the Monitors are threatened they will use them to lash out at attackers. They also puff up their bodies and hiss.

The subspecies is typically found on the ground, but they are able to climb trees as well. They head up to hunt and to avoid the animals that prey on them (like Honey Badgers). White-Throated Monitors are incredibly voracious eaters, especially during the wet season that falls between January and March. They will pretty much eat anything that they can easily capture, from small insects, to birds, to snakes. One really interesting fact is that the Monitors are very conscious of their caloric intake. They will try and eat animals that can give them the most benefit with the least amount of catching effort.

White-Throated Monitors are kept in captivity, but they are classified as threatened under CITES Appendix II. Habitat loss is the biggest threat, but they are also hunted for skin, meat, and for their use in local, traditional healing practices.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed

Location : Southern Africa
Size : Length 6.6ft (2m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Sauropsida -- Order : Squamata
Family : Varanidae -- Genus : Varanus-- Species : V. albigularis -- Subspcies : V. a. albigularis

Lesser Antillean Iguana

Iguana delicatissima

Meet the Lesser Antillean Iguana, one of the two members of the Iguana genus, and a resident of the Carribbean Lesser Antilles Islands.

Males of the species have a very interesting anatomical trait- they change color when it comes time to breed! They are typically more green in color, but when the time comes to mate their bodies goes gray, their jaws go pink, and the tops of their heads turn blue!

During the breeding season the dominant males will defends territories that contain up to half a dozen females. Reproduction coincides with the growth of vegetation during the wet season. This allows the new little hatchlings to have plenty of food right off the bat.

The Lesser Antillean Iguana was once found throughout the island chain, but they are now confined to only a few locations. Habitat loss, fragmentation, and hunting by both humans and introduced predators all played big parts in the population decline. Another factor was inbreeding; non-native Green Iguanas were introduced to the area and began to reproduce with the endemic species. The Lesser Antillean Iguanas are now illegal to hunt, but feral predators and hybridization still pose threats. There have been efforts to breed the species in captivity, but success has been extremely limited. The Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust is the only location to produce fertile eggs.

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IUCN Status : Endangered
Location : Lesser Antilles
Size : Body Length up to 16in (40cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Sauropsida -- Order : Squamata
Family : Iguanidae -- Genus : Iguana -- Species : I. delicatissima

Brown Leaf Chameleon

Brookesia superciliaris

The Brown Leaf Chameleon belongs to the same genus as some of the smallest reptiles in the entire world (B. micra is the tiniest Chameleon on record). Like the other members of the genus, today's species lives on the island of Madagascar, and it also happens to be rather small.

The full head to tail length of the Brown Leaf Chameleon is only a few inches. The small size certainly helps with their defensive camouflage. You see, Brown Leaf Chameleons resemble curled up, dead leaves! They can change color, but shades or brown and green are the most common, as those are the colors of the dead leaves that they forage in.

Brown Leaf Chameleons spend most of their time on the forest floor, where they hunt for insects. If they themselves feel threatened by a predator, they roll up and lie very still, hiding in with their surroundings.

Camouflage isn't the only thing interesting about these tiny reptiles. They also have a neat little mating ritual. Males will approach females while doing a head bob. If the female doesn't like it, she responds with jerky movements of her own, sending the male away. If she does want to mate, she walks alongside the male for a while. He will then climb on her back and she will carry him for a spell, and the pair will eventually copulate.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Madagascar
Size : Length up to 4.5in (12cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : Squamata
Family : Chamaeleonidae -- Genus : Brookesia -- Species : B. superciliaris

Zebra-tailed Lizard

Callisaurus draconoides

Zebra-Tailed Lizard are small, sandy-pale reptiles with banded white and black tails. They can be found in the scorching hot desert areas of the Southwestern United States. What makes them so remarkable is that they are actually active during the day, unlike many other desert critters that only come out during the cooler nights.

During hot days they can be found basking on rocks, and though they may look tired in the heat, don't be fooled! Zebra-tailed Lizards are incredibly fast and quite crafty. They can speed away from danger, and if the movement isn't enough they use their striped tails to distract their attacker. This is because the tail can detach and grow back.

Zebra-tailed lizards are carnivores, and they feed mostly on Insects. Smaller lizards sometimes become a part of their diet as well. They'll even eat vegetation on occasion!

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IUCN Status : Not Listed

Location : Southwest United States

Size : Body Length up to 4in (10cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Sauropsida -- Order : Squamata
Family : Phrynosomatidae Genus : Callisaurus -- Species : C. draconoides

Helmeted Iguana

Corytophanes cristatus

The Helmeted Iguana is also sometimes referred to as the Forest Chameleon. Confusing, right? They are members of Corytophanidae, a family that also includes Basilisks and other Helmeted Lizards. The helmet name comes from the fact that these little guys have a huge helmet-like crest that extends from the back of their heads down over their necks. They also have a much lower crest that extends down their back. Males have larger helmets than females.

Helmeted Iguanas can be found in tropical rainforests ranging from Mexico down to Colombia. Their long limbs and grasping toes allow them to be excellent climbers.

One interesting feature to the Helmeted Iguana is that it can change color (hence the Forest Chameleon Name). They really can only shift from greens to browns, but that is enough to allow them some camouflage while out basking in the sun, or while hunting for insects.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : South and Central America
Size : Length up to 14in (34cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : Squamata
Family : Corytophanidae -- Genus : Corytophanes -- Species : C. cristatus

Viviparous Lizard

Meet the northernmost reptile in the entire world- the Viviparous Lizard! They can be found across Europe and Asia, have a very large range, and can live as far north as Arctic Russia!

Zootoca vivipara

Now, I believe at some point we've discussed the whole Viviparous-Oviparous thing, but let's rehash anyway. These terms all relate to how a create gives birth. Viviparous means they have live young. Oviparous means they lay eggs. That means that, due to its name, this little lizard gives birth to live young! (Though if we want to get technical, they do still lay eggs, but they are incubated inside the mother, making them Ovoviviparous)

Viviparous Lizards are small little guys, and only grow a few inches long (though their tail can doubel their body length!) They are very agile and fast, and they use that speed to both hide from predators, and to hunt after their own invertebrate prey.

Because they are still cold blooded, and because they live so far north, Viviparous Lizards hibernate. They will spend the winters hiding under logs and in other underground areas, and will emerge again when the temperatures rises enough for them to becoming fully active.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Northern Europe and Asia
Size : Body Length up to 5in (12cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : Squamata
Family : Lacertidae -- Genus : Zootoca -- Species : Z. vivipara

Megalania

Megalania prisca

I am really, really excited about today's animal. I love Megafauna, I just find those giant Pleistocene animals to be hands-down amazing. We've talked about several different animals in the past, but most have been mammals-- we haven't talked about too many giant, Megafauna reptiles. To be honest though, there actually aren't a whole ton of reptiles in that group. Aside from Crocodiles, most post-Dinosaur reptiles remained quite small. Well, Megalania didn't!

You know Komodo Dragons? The largest lizards in the world? They reach full body and tail lengths of about 10ft, and at most weigh in around 150lbs. Megalania was a monitor lizard, just like the Komodo Dragon. Only double that length. More than double it. Speculation is that they could reach 23-26ft. The weight is incredible too. If Megalania had the same body/tail proportions as the Komodo, they could have weighed up to 4,000lbs!

Of course, we don't know their full size and weight for sure, as full fossilized skeletons have not been found. But even if the lower, 15ft length estimates are true, Megalania would still have the distinction of being the largest Lizard ever, and the largest venomous vertebrate in the world.

They lived from 2 million to 40,000 years ago in Australia, and hunted the massive marsupials and giant birds that were wandering about at the time, like Dromornis and Diprotodon. They were apex predators, and only really had competition from the substantially smaller (200lb) Marsupial Lion, Thylacoleo.

Megalania probably died off as a result of its prey disappearing. Diprotodon and other giant mammals went extinct (probably from a combination of human hunting, habitat loss, and climate change) and the massive Lizards no longer had enough food to sustain themselves.

There are some Cryptozoologists out there who think Megalania is still around, and unconfirmed reports of giant lizards have been surfacing for years in both Australia and New Guinea.

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Status : Extinct for around 40,000 years

Location : Australia
Size : Length up to 23ft (7m), Weight up to 4,000lbs (1,800kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : Squamata
Family : Varanidae -- Genus : Megalania -- Species : M. prisca

Six-Lined Racerunner

Cnemidophorus sexlineatus

Six-Lined Racerunners are lizards that can be found from Rhone Island down to Florida, and then across to Wyoming and Texas, giving them a decently large spread across the United States. They live in drier, open areas that have loose soil, and feed on insects and other invertebrates.

Six-Lined Racerunners are terrestrial Reptiles that can be identified by their six yellow strips that run down the body from head to tail. This pattern is pretty unique among Lizards within their region. Their species name even means "Six lined!"

They dig burrows into the ground, and use the burrows for hiding, resting, and egg laying. Mating takes place after hibernation ends, and only about half a dozen eggs are laid at a time.

One cool fact about these guys is that they are one of the fastest reptiles on land! They can run at speed of up to 18mph (29kph). Not bad for a tiny Lizard that is barely a foot long!

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IUCN Status : Not Listed

Location : North America

Size : Length up to 10in (25cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : Squamata
Family : Teiidae -- Genus : Cnemidophorus -- Species : C. sexlineatus

Butikaw

Varanus bitatawa

Today's animal goes by two different common names. The first is the titles of this post- Butikaw. This is the name given to the Lizard by the local residents. The second is Northern Seirra Madre Forest Monitor Lizard. Which is a bit of a mouthful. You can see why we'll be using the shorter name, right?

The Butikaw is actually a relatively new species to science-- they were first described and catalgoed as a species only a few years ago. The Butikaw is quite notable because it is one of only three frugivorous Monitor Lizard species in the entire world. They are actually close relatives to the Komodo Dragon, which makes their diet all the more surprising!

Doubly interesting is that this is a new species that is very, very large. Oftentimes the new animals that we find are very small, and are not as easily noticed. The Butikaw can grow to be 2m long! Granted, the indigenous people of the region had known about the large reptiles for hundreds of years, but it wasn't until 2001 that biologists noticed a picture and began to investigate. They also probably avoided detection because they rarely come to the ground. They live as high as 60ft up in the trees, and may only descend once a week for a very short period of time.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Philippines
Size :  Length up to 6.5ft (2m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : Squamata
Family : Varanidae -- Genus : Varanus-- Species : V. bitatawa

Gold Tegu

Tupinambis teguixin

Tegus are large, omnivorous lizards that inhabit South America. They essentially fill the same niche that the Monitor lizards fill in Asia and Africa. Though the two lizard types look similar and do the same jobs, they are not closely related (go convergent evolution!)

The Gold Tegu is one of the seven species of Tegu. They live in the northern parts of South America, inhabiting tropical forests. They have powerful legs, a very thick tail, and can reach lengths of up to 3ft. They are also sometimes referred to as "Black Tegus," due to their gold and black stripes.

Gold Tegus feed on a wide variety of things, from insects, to small reptiles and mammals, to fruits. They can live up to 20 years, and are sometimes kept as pets, though there are other Tegu species that are more suitable. They tend of be more aggressive than their close cousins, but can become relatively tame with proper handling.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : South America
Size : Length up to 3ft (90cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : Squamata
Family : Teiidae -- Genus : Tupinambis -- Species : T. teguixin