Lizard up to 4 meters long. Types of lizards names and photos: the largest group of reptiles

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. The bearded dragon is native to 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 the Latin name of the 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 unique ability of the bearded dragon is to 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 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 blends easily 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 in the environment is not to their liking, that is, not for health. 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 specks and round spots. yellow color. 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 has stuck with it 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 ridge on 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

The Komodo dragon gets its name from its habitat on the small island of Komodo in eastern Indonesia, where it was described in 1912 as separate view. 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 lizard (Varanus niloticus) is another one of the huge number of representatives of lizards.
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 toe claws. 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 tropical fauna a lot of really beautiful animals, often painted in amazing 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, is one of 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 theirs. natural home. In size, flat-tailed Madagascar geckos are inferior to ordinary day geckos, but otherwise they have similar signs. 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 are the largest group of reptiles. In everyday life, lizards are often called generally all reptiles with legs (excluding turtles and crocodiles), but in the scientific community this title is mainly worn by representatives of the family of real lizards and several other species. Here they will be discussed in this article, and other related species - skinks, geckos, agamas, iguanas, monitor lizards - will be considered separately.

Pearl or decorated lizard (Lacerta lepida).

Real lizards are mostly small to medium in size. The largest member 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 not more than 10 cm. Distinctive feature real lizards - movable eyelids (the main difference from snakes, in which the eyelids have grown together), an oblong, thin body with a 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. Another one interesting feature lizards is the ability to autotomy (self-mutilation). Of course, lizards do not mutilate themselves for no reason, but in case of danger, they can break the spine in the tail section by contraction of the muscles and discard the tail. The tail continues to writhe and distracts the attention of the enemy, the lizard eventually grows a new tail.

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

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

quick, or common lizard(Lacerta agilis).

Real lizards live only in the Old World - in Europe, Asia and Africa. In the south of Asia, the islands of the Indian Ocean and Madagascar, they are not. Several species have been introduced to North America, where they successfully settled in the western United States. The habitats of lizards are diverse, they can be seen in meadows, steppes, deserts and semi-deserts, forests, gardens, shrubs, mountains, river banks and cliffs. Lizards stay on the ground or climb low shrubs, grass stalks and tree trunks. All species are able to move along vertical surfaces, clinging to cracks in the bark and uneven ground, but mountain species have achieved special perfection in this. Rock lizards and species close to them can run along bare steep rocks, jump from a height of 3-4 m.

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

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, crevices between stones. These are very mobile and cautious animals, they usually sit and look around the surroundings, seeing a suspicious movement, freeze for a while, and when the enemy approaches, they run away. They run very fast, rearranging all the limbs one by one, some desert species can run several meters on their hind legs or burrow into the sand. In addition, in the deserts, lizards are often forced to raise their legs in turn to avoid burns from hot sand.

Reticulated foot-and-mouth disease (Eremias grammica) lives in deserts, long fingers help it to move along the sand.

Lizards feed almost exclusively on invertebrates, only the largest individuals can catch a small rodent, snake or eat bird masonry. Lizards usually prey on 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 adaptations for hunting (sticky tongue, poison). Lizards first sneak up on prey, and then with a sharp throw overtake and catch 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 (opuntia, cherries, sweet cherries, grapes, viburnum).

Stehlin's lizard (Gallotia stehlini) eats prickly pear fruit.

Small species breed several times a season, large ones once a year. The breeding season falls on spring-early summer and depends on the habitat (the further north the range, the later the mating season begins). The males look out for the female and pursue her by running. If two males meet each other, then they approach the opponent sideways, trying to appear larger. The smaller one surrenders and yields, 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 a three-lined lizard is rather strange: the male grabs the female by the back of the body, lifts her above the ground so that she rests on the soil only with her front paws, and starts running with the female in her 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. Eggs are buried in the soil, forest litter, hide in burrows, under stones. The duration of incubation depends on the temperature environment and species, it lasts from 3 weeks to 1.5 months. Parents do not care about laying and offspring. Young lizards immediately after hatching begin an independent life and are able to get food themselves. Viviparous lizards after 3 months of pregnancy give birth to live cubs, in the north of the range the embryos can occasionally even overwinter in the mother's body, and in the extreme south of the range the same species lays eggs. The life expectancy of lizards usually does not exceed 3-5 years.

Viviparous lizard (Lacerta vivipara, or Zootoca vivipara).

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

Lizards do not harm people, but there are benefits from them. These animals exterminate 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.

Most often, lizards catch our eye and attract our attention, which deliver one of the first entertainments to any stranger from cold countries. They are literally crawling everywhere. In the cities you see how they race along the walls and fences, bask in the sun on stacked firewood or run up the gutters of houses. In every garden, on every path or dry sandy path, at your approach, they scatter in all directions, climb tree trunks, and keep on the side opposite to the passing one, and the squirrels look at you with caution. Many species with amazing dexterity run up smooth walls, and in houses various types of geckos sit on the ceiling and run down it with their backs down, chasing flies, and are kept with the help of suckers of their wide paws. Of course, at times they break off and fall on the table or in the face of the observer looking up. In the forest, on the bark of trees, large broad-bodied geckos sit; other species, small, nimble, sit on the leaves, and from time to time, with a loud noise, one of the large species, 3-4 feet long, runs through the fallen leaves.

Coloring is very diverse, but usually in harmony with the surroundings. The species that crawl along the walls and rocks are stone-coloured, sometimes almost black; species living in houses are gray, light ashy in color and are hardly visible not only on the roof of palm leaves, but even on the ceiling. In the forest, lizards are often piebald: gray and green, like moss-covered grass. Ground-dwelling species are mostly yellowish or brownish, but sometimes a beautiful green, with long, thin tails. These are the most nimble; they do not drag their body along the ground like most lizards, but hold it high on their paws and run with the agility of little kittens. Their tails are very brittle and fall off at the slightest blow, after which a new one grows, which, however, is never so proportionate and so completely covered with scales as the old one. It happens that when the tail is only half broken off, and a new one grows out of the wound, the result is a funny forked tail. The number of species of lizards known to us reaches 1300, of which most inhabit the tropics, and, apparently, their number increases towards the equator. Rich vegetation, abundance of moisture and light favor their development, which is proved by their individual and species abundance in Para and on the Aru Islands, in two localities. the globe, which are antipodes in relation to each other, but both differ in the equatorial climate, as well as in the diversity and beauty of their insects.

Three groups can be called characteristic of each of the three continents: America, Africa and Tropical Asia. iguanas South America- large forms that live on trees, eat plant foods and are distinguished beautiful green coloration, which makes them completely invisible to the eye if they sit quietly in the foliage. They are characterized by a crest on the back, a hanging dewlap and an unusually a long tail. Iguanas are among the few lizards whose meat is considered a delicacy. Chameleons of Africa are also tree lizards and have a prehensile tail, which, generally speaking, is much more characteristic of South American animals. Chameleons are very slow in their movements and are protected by a very remarkable ability to change their color, adapting it to their surroundings. Chameleons, like most lizards, are insectivorous, but are said to be able to go for months without food.

The dragons, or flying lizards, of the East Indies and Malay Islands are probably the most interesting and remarkable of all modern reptiles, because of their ability to glide through the air with the help of wing-like membranes located on either side of the body and stretched by thin bony processes of six front false ribs. When the dragon does not need the membranes, he folds them and presses them tightly to the body, making them barely noticeable; when unfolded, they form an almost round membrane, the upper surface of which is bordered for the most part by a beautiful red or yellow border. By means of such a parachute the dragon can be transported from tree to tree up to 30 feet, first falling obliquely, but then, near the final point of its flight, rising a little and "mooring" with its head up. These animals are very small, apart from a long thin tail, no more than 2 or 3 inches, and with outstretched wings in the bright sun they look more like a strange insect than a reptile.

Lizards are a very common group of reptile class. There are many different types These animals have different colors, sizes and habits. It often happens that we call lizards those representatives who do not belong to this group at all. This is because we are used to calling reptiles those who run on four legs and have a long tail. To better understand this, you first need to know the structural features of these animals.

Structural features

Lizards live in forests, deserts, mountains and steppes. The body is covered with horny scales. They are not able to breathe through the skin like frogs, because in the process of evolution they have lost this ability. Some species are adapted to life in water.

The size of these animals usually ranges from 20 to 40 cm. But there is one species whose size reaches 80 cm. This species is called pearl. But if you take the largest lizard, then its height will be 3 meters. This species is called the Komodo dragon. This is the largest lizard on earth. A separate group in the lizard family- lizards, reach a height of 10 cm. But the most short stature assigned to the South American gecko. His height does not exceed 4 centimeters.

The coloration of these animals is usually green, brown, gray or mixed with these colors. There are representatives who have a very bright color of red or blue.

There is another feature that distinguishes these animals from their own kind. These are moving eyelids. For example, snakes have fused eyelids, and therefore their eye mobility is small. Representatives of this group are capable of autotomy, that is, they can throw off their tail. This can be used as a distraction from an attack. For example, when a lizard is attacked by a predator, it can break its spine and drop its tail, which will writhe for a while and act as a bait. At this time, she will start to crawl from the scene of the attack and possibly save his life. Of course, the process is not pleasant, but what can you do to survive.

Scientists have found that these animals do not have vocal cords, and therefore they are always silent. But there is only one species, which is called the Stehlin and Simon lizard. When danger approaches this animal emits a semblance of a squeak.

reproduction

There are several ways of reproduction in lizards (it all depends on the species):

1. laying eggs;
2. live birth;
3. live birth eggs.

In the first method, the female lays from 1 to 35 eggs covered with a shell or a soft leathery shell. They lay their eggs in protected places. For example, under stones or in the sand. In viviparous species, the embryo receives all nutrients from the mother's body. But there is also an egg bearing live birth. With him, the baby develops in the egg which is in the mother's body.

Food

The diet of these animals is very diverse. Some feed on small insects, others feed only on plant matter. There are species that combine plant and animal food. There are species that feed only on berries. Large lizards feed on fish, small mammals, snakes.

Protection

These animals have a lot of potential enemies., and in order not to be eaten, they have a lot of means for protection. main feature defense - fast running with sharp turns. Thanks to this, the lizard can easily get away from the pursuer. They can burrow into sand or various foliage, and can easily be camouflaged. And as already mentioned in the article, they drop their tail when an enemy attacks them. If she is caught, she will begin to bite and dodge very smartly. Because of this, it will be difficult to hold her. In the event that they are caught, they often grab the back of the money.

Kinds

Having understood a little about the general structure and features of these animals, let's move on to a description of the various species. All types of lizards and their features will be difficult to list, because this is the most large group reptiles on earth. Therefore, we will analyze only a few types:

All listed types do not belong to the family of true lizards, but they are related.

He moves 4 times faster than a person, from the start he develops a speed of 18 km / h. And this is with a three-meter body and tail - not in vain komodo dragon bears the status of the largest lizard in the world.

Reptiles do not need to eat regularly to survive - once a month is enough for this. She sees her victim for 300 meters. Hunting does not particularly exhaust itself - there is no prey on the horizon, it will ruin human burials.

Ora crocodile

The Komodo monitor lizard is a reptile from the squamous order. He received the status of the largest lizard in the world for his huge size:

• length - 2.5-3 m;
• weight - 100-150 kg.

Scientists discovered the reptile on Komodo Island only in 1912. A few years before this locals more than once they said that they saw a dragon. They called him "ora" and "ground crocodile".

Appearance

Male monitor lizards are 1.5 times larger than females - the sex of reptiles can be identified only by this feature.

Lizards have long flattened heads, muzzles are elongated and rounded. The eyes are large, located on both sides of the head. The auricles are large, but monitor lizards have imperfect hearing - they cannot identify a low voice.

The jaws and throat of the largest lizard are so flexible that it swallows huge chunks of meat in a split second. The movable lower jaw and stomach expand so much that the adult swallows the pig completely. This feature explains the impressive weight of the reptiles.

But there is another feature - the monitor lizard will easily burp the contents of the stomach as soon as it senses danger. He will decrease in size and weight and hide from his pursuers.

The legs of the reptiles are half-bent - because of this, the bulky carcass seems to be pressed to the ground. Their claws are sharp, as befits predators. The large teeth are bent so as to dig deep into the victim and tear it to pieces.

The body of an adult monitor lizard is covered with bone chain mail - it gives the reptiles a resemblance to stones. In the younger generation of lizards, the color is brighter - green, blue, orange.

Food

The giant lizard is a predator, respectively, it feeds on the meat of its victims. She dominates, attacking any animals and does not disdain carrion. Their diet contains:

• pigs;
• deer;
• lizards;
• buffaloes.

Juveniles feed on insects and snakes, sometimes catching birds.

Hunting

Reptiles determine prey long before the start of the hunt, sniffing the air and analyzing the smells in it. To do this, nature has endowed predators with a forked tongue, with which they taste the air and feel the taste of an animal or carrion, their location.

Future prey at this time can be at a distance of up to 4 km from the monitor lizard - it will catch its smell and direction if the wind is fair.

Patience is one of the virtues of the heaviest lizard in the world. She lies in wait for prey for hours, sometimes for days. As soon as the animal is nearby, the reptile attacks it, interrupts its paws with its powerful tail.

The victim is doomed - an attempt to escape leads to the fact that a huge camouflage carcass will tear him apart until he goes limp. After that, the monitor lizard will exhale and open the belly of the prey to drain the blood. Only then will he begin to swallow the meat.

Toxicity

Single victims manage to escape, but they do not live long. There are more than 50 types of bacteria in the saliva of reptiles, and the jaw glands are poisonous. When a giant lizard attacks a pig or other artiodactyls, a secret is released into its saliva. The protein in the composition of the secret is toxic - it paralyzes muscles, disrupts blood clotting, and sharply reduces pressure and body temperature.

The animal suffers from several hours to several days, depending on immunity and the degree of blood infection, and then dies. The monitor lizard all this time follows in the footsteps of his sense of smell for the victim. As soon as she dies, he consumes the carrion. Not even a tenth of the carcass remains - the stomach of reptiles is designed in such a way that it easily digests bones and skin.

reproduction

The mating season for the largest lizards begins in May and ends in August. Two males can fight for a female - she goes to the winner. After mating games, the female lays up to 30 eggs, and the male guards the territory.