As of 2014, there are 5907 species of lizards on the planet. Below is a list of the ten most unusual lizards in the world that differ from their relatives in their original appearance or behavior.

The fantastic leaf-tailed gecko, also known as the satanic gecko, is a species of gecko that lives on the trunks and branches of trees in wet tropical forests only in the Madagascar Islands. Adults reach a length of 9-14 cm and weigh from 10 to 30 grams. They are nocturnal, hunting for insects. These amazing animals are endowed with the ability to mimic - merge with the bark of trees, dry leaves, etc. Due to deforestation, they are endangered. They can often be found in terrariums around the world.


Moloch, also known as the "thorny devil" is a species of rather unusual lizard, widespread in the deserts and semi-deserts of western and central Australia. The body length of an adult does not exceed 20 cm, with a weight of 50 to 100 g. Active during the day. It feeds exclusively on ants, usually small species. During the day, the "thorny devil" is able to eat several thousand ants, which it catches with a sticky tongue.

Lobe-tailed geckos


Lobe-tailed geckos or flying geckos are a genus of geckos with 7 species. They live in Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Nicobar Islands (India), as well as on the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan. They love tropical wooded area. They spend most of their lives in trees, where they move very quickly. They live in hollows. Active at night. They feed on insects and small invertebrates. The total length of their body is 20–23 cm. Characteristic features of these geckos is the ability to jump up to 60 m from one tree to another.

Philippine sail lizard


In seventh place in the list of the most unusual lizards in the world is the Philippine sailing lizard, which is found only in the Philippines. These lizards are omnivorous and feed on fruits, leaves, flowers, insects and small mammals. They prefer to settle in moist forests near water, rivers, rice fields, etc. Adults can grow up to one meter long. They are excellent swimmers.


The common conolophus is a species of large lizard from the iguana family. They live in earthen burrows dug by them only in the Galapagos archipelago, on the islands of San Salvador, Santa Cruz, Isabela and Fernandina. Their body length reaches 125 cm, weight 13 kg. They feed exclusively on plants growing on the ground, sometimes on fallen fruits. 80% of their diet is sprouts and flowers of prickly pear (a plant from the Cactus family).


marine iguana- an unusual lizard that lives exclusively on the Galapagos Islands. It is found mainly on rocky shores, salt marshes and mangroves. The marine iguana is not very skilled on land, however, it swims and dives well. It can hold its breath for 1 hour, and also has the ability, unique among modern lizards, to spend most of its time in the sea. It feeds mainly on algae, sometimes on small vertebrates. The total length of their body reaches 140 cm, of which more than half is occupied by the tail, weight up to 12 kg.


komodo dragon- the largest lizard in the world, found on arid plains, savannahs and dry tropical forests only on the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinka, Flores and Jili Motang. Their body length reaches 3–4 m, weight is about 70–100 kg. Considered to be excellent hunters short distances capable of speeds up to 20 km/h. They swim well and climb trees. They feed on a wide variety of animals. Their diet includes crabs, fish, sea ​​turtles, lizards, snakes, birds, baby crocodiles, rodents, deer, wild boars, dogs, cats, goats, buffaloes, horses and even relatives. Possess venomous bite and are considered among the most cold-blooded, sadistic killers in the animal world. In adult Komodo dragons, wild nature natural enemies no, except for humans and possibly combed crocodiles.

Flying dragon (Draco volans)


The flying dragon is a species of unusual lizard, common in Indonesia on the islands of Borneo, Sumatra, Java, Timor, as well as in West Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippine Islands (Palawan), Singapore and Vietnam. The length of their body reaches about 20 cm. On its sides there are wide leathery folds stretched between six "false" ribs. When they open, a kind of "wings" are formed, with the help of which dragons can plan in the air at a distance of up to 60 meters. They live on the crowns of trees in tropical forests, where they spend a significant part of their lives. They descend to the ground only in two cases - for laying eggs and if the flight failed. They feed on insects, mainly ants and termites.


The Lesser Belttail is a species of lizard found in the rocky, desert areas of southern Africa. The length of their body ranges from 15 to 21 cm. On the head and back there are hard bone plates like a shell. Feeds on insects and small invertebrates. Lives in groups of up to 60 individuals, hiding in gorges and crevices. In danger, they are able to twist into a ring, grabbing their tail with their mouths. It is considered one of the most prickly animals in the world.


most unusual lizard world is the Frilled Lizard, living in dry forests and forest-steppes in northwestern Australia and southern New Guinea. Their body length reaches 80–90 cm, weight 0.5 kg. It feeds on insects and other invertebrates, mainly spiders and small reptiles. In case of danger, the lizard is able to suddenly open a brightly colored collar (moreover, this movement is accompanied by the simultaneous opening of a wide mouth), which scares away many enemies, including snakes and dogs. An interesting feature frilled lizard is its ability to run on its hind legs, holding the body almost vertically.

A lizard is an animal that belongs to the class of reptiles (reptiles), the squamous order, the lizard suborder. In Latin, the suborder of the lizard is called Lacertilia, formerly the name was Sauria.

The reptile got its name from the word "lizard", which came from old Russian word"skor", meaning "skin".

The largest lizard in the world is the Komodo dragon

The smallest lizard in the world

The smallest lizards in the world are the Haraguan sphero (Sphaerodactylus ariasae) and the Virginian round-toed gecko (Sphaerodactylus parthenopion). The size of the babies does not exceed 16-19 mm, and the weight reaches 0.2 grams. These cute and harmless reptiles live in the Dominican Republic and the Virgin Islands.

Where do lizards live?

A variety of species of lizards live on all continents except Antarctica. Representatives of reptiles familiar to Russia are real lizards that live almost everywhere: they can be found in the fields, in the forest, in the steppes, gardens, in the mountains, deserts, near rivers and lakes. All types of lizards move perfectly on any surface, firmly clinging to all sorts of bulges and bumps. Rocky species of lizards are excellent jumpers, the height of the jump of these mountain dwellers reaches 4 meters.

large predators, such as monitor lizard, hunt small animals - snakes, their own kind, and also eat eggs of birds and reptiles with pleasure. The monitor lizard from Komodo Island, the largest lizard in the world, attacks wild boar and even buffalo and deer. The Moloch lizard eats exclusively, while the pink-tongued skink eats only terrestrial molluscs. Some large iguana and skink lizards are almost entirely vegetarian, with a menu of ripe fruits, leaves, flowers, and plant pollen.

Lizards in nature are extremely cautious and agile, approaching the intended prey stealthily, and then attack with a swift jerk and capture the prey in their mouths.

Komodo monitor lizard eating buffalo

It turns out that in our time you can meet with the dragon. So the inhabitants of Komodo Island (in Indonesia) call the Komodo monitor lizard, which is the largest lizard in the world. This is not only a huge lizard, but also a cruel predator that instills fear in the islanders - the dragon can attack not only domestic animals, but also people, and children who are sitting or lying on the ground are especially vulnerable.

Excursion into history

The largest lizard in the world was first discovered by scientists at the beginning of the 20th century - descriptions of the dragon date back to 1912. It was at this time that the Komodo monitor lizard was found on Komodo Island. Actually, in the place of its habitat, the monitor lizard received the name Komodo. Scientists put forward a version that many thousands of years ago Komodo monitor lizards lived in Australia, and then moved to the islands located nearby. And today the dragon can be found not only on Komodo Island, but also on such islands: Flores, Ridge, Padar, Rincha. The number at the time of discovery of this species of lizards was not numerous, and today it is only decreasing. Therefore, due to the threat of extinction, Komodo monitor lizards are currently heavily protected and listed in the Red Book.

Description of the Komodo dragon


Adult monitor lizards can grow over 3 meters in length, and their weight can be up to 160 kg. However, such large individuals are not so common - as a rule, the length of these largest lizards in the world is 2 meters. Due to the huge size of Komodo monitor lizards, they have practically no enemies, but this applies to adult lizards, and small monitor lizards become a treat for birds of prey, snakes, and even their relatives. Like any lizard, Komodo dragons have a long tail. Their skin color is dark with small spots, but the young have a lighter color. These giant lizards have powerful jaws and are very sharp teeth because they are predators.


One big head and incredible size toothy mouth from which protrudes a bifurcated long tongue capable of plunging any person into indescribable horror. Seeing this animal, you can imagine yourself in a completely different era, when there were such creatures great amount. It is amazing that in our time the Komodo dragon has retained its appearance almost unchanged.

Distinctive features of the Komodo dragon

The largest lizard in the world, despite its impressive size, can run very fast, however, over short distances. In addition, she knows how to swim and is even able to swim across to the island in the neighborhood. The Komodo dragon can perfectly get food from trees, while standing on its hind legs. Young individuals, on the other hand, perfectly climb trees and spend on them a large number of time. So young monitor lizards are saved from predators that can attack them.


Komodo monitor lizards have excellent hearing, sharp eyesight, but their main sense organ is the sense of smell. Dragons have two poison glands and deadly saliva, thanks to which they kill their victims and get their own food.

Lifestyle

Komodo dragons hide in burrows that they make themselves at night. They go hunting early in the morning. During the day, they also hide from the rays of the scorching sun. They are cold-blooded creatures, so they do not tolerate harsh temperature fluctuations. As a rule, Komodo giant lizards are loners. They live in groups only during the breeding season.

How do they hunt and what do they eat?

Komodo monitor lizards feed on both small and large animals (including domestic ones), mainly eat carrion. Also, dragons, being able to climb trees well, steal bird eggs. Adult individuals in a hungry year even eat their younger relatives. Thanks to their keen sense of smell, these lizards are able to smell blood at a distance of up to 5 km.


As a rule, monitor lizards prey on big booty from an ambush. Attacking her, they bite the animal and follow her in anticipation of her death. Moreover, the monitor lizard is more helped not by poisonous glands, as was previously thought, but by saliva containing a large number of pathogenic bacteria. It is these bacteria that, getting into the blood of the victim, lead to her inevitable death. As a result, the victim of the monitor lizard loses consciousness, and then dies.

The monitor lizard instead of injecting poison with one blow rubs it into the wound of the victim. This method of hunting has helped monitor lizards to exist for many millennia. With the help of a bifurcated tongue, the Komodo monitor lizard is able to smell carrion from afar and is more likely to rush to the feast, in which other of its relatives take part. Moreover, eating meat poisoned by its own saliva does not harm them at all, since monitor lizards have excellent immunity. And the substances released during the decomposition of the killed prey of the monitor lizard only enrich the oral cavity of the giant lizard with new deadly bacteria.

Human danger


There have been cases when a Komodo monitor lizard attacked a person. The bite of this animal is very dangerous for humans, since the inflammatory process begins due to the influence of pathogenic bacteria. Especially monitor lizards can attack small children. However, it is believed that this is only when they confuse their usual food. However, after being bitten by this huge lizard, it is important to seek immediate medical attention as the fatality rate is 99 percent.

Not only living people suffer from Komodo monitor lizards, but also the dead - dragons dig up buried corpses and feed on them. Therefore, today the dead are buried under cast cement slabs.

Offspring


Male monitor lizards fight for their female every year. The monitor lizard that wins gets a female, who then lays 20 eggs. For eight months, she will ensure that no one eats the eggs, but the hatched young monitor lizards will be deprived of maternal care. They must take care of their own safety, so they often hide in trees or in shelters. Moreover, they often hide from representatives of their own species, who do not disdain young animals as their food.

In prehistoric times, the Earth was inhabited by dinosaurs, foot-and-mouth disease and mammoths. Climate change and evolution led to their extinction, but more recently, scientists have discovered a monstrous lizard in distant Indonesia, which locals called a dragon.

Amazing discovery

In 1912, a group of scientists who explored Komodo Island in pacific ocean, stumbled upon a marvelous monster resembling a lizard in appearance, only of enormous size. Having caught one specimen with the help of aboriginal hunters, they came to grips with the study of the "dragon".

The monster actually turned out to be a representative of cold-blooded reptiles. According to species characteristics, the reptile is assigned to the group of monitor lizards. According to the place of discovery, it was called the Komodo (Komodos) or Indonesian monitor lizard. The average length of a reptile is 2.5-2.8 m, and its weight is up to 90 kg. This is the longest lizard on the planet. It is one of the ten largest animals on the planet. In 1937, at an exhibition in the city of San Lewis in Missouri (USA), a record copy was presented, more than 3 meters long and weighing 166 kg.

Appearance description

Komodo "monster" resembles a hybrid of a giant lizard and a crocodile. He has a developed jaw full of sharp teeth, short thick legs and a strong tail, which is equal to the length of the body. In adults, the color is dark brown with yellow speckles, while in young animals the skin has more bright shade with light spots, sometimes turning into stripes.

Males are much larger than females, they are also stronger and more aggressive.

The largest lizard, due to its size, seems awkward, but this is a deceptive impression. On its short legs, it develops a speed of more than 20 km / h, jumping, easily rises on its hind legs, leaning on a powerful tail, and swims well for long distances. Young lizards deftly climb trees.

The giant is distinguished by vigilance, excellent hearing and an amazing sense of smell. The organs of smell are located on his forked tongue, and thanks to them, the Indonesian monitor lizard smells prey at a distance of 5 km! This is a kind of record in the animal kingdom.

Studying the "dragons", scientists have determined their age potential at 50 years, although no one has yet met a monitor lizard older than 25 years.

Lifestyle

The largest lizard in the world is diurnal and sleeps at night. Like any cold-blooded animal, it does not tolerate temperature changes, therefore it hides in the shade during the day, and hunts in the morning and evening. Chooses dry and sunny flat terrain or savannas. Lives in burrows up to 5 meters deep, and young foot-and-mouth disease prefer tree hollows.

These "ground crocodiles" are loners. Gathering of several individuals only in mating season or during the joint eating of carrion. At the same time, the hierarchy is clearly observed in the flock. Young strong males dominate, while old men, youth and females are pushed into the background.

In its habitats, foot-and-mouth disease is at the top of the food chain, so it has no enemies, except that very young individuals can be threatened by snakes or large predator birds.

The victims of the Komodo reptile are such large animals as deer, buffalo, horses, wild boars, goats. On hungry days, it does not disdain small rodents, birds, frogs, crabs, fish, even insects. There are cases of cannibalism, when seasoned monitor lizards eat weaker relatives.

dangerous predator

How does the longest lizard hunt? Most often, she attacks from an ambush, with a strong blow tail knocks down the victim, breaking her legs, and inflicts a lacerated wound with her teeth. After that, he releases the prey. The animal dies on its own within a few hours or days from poison and blood poisoning, since the saliva of the largest reptile is teeming with toxic bacteria. In the process of research, scientists isolated 57 different strains in her oral cavity, including anthrax. Each of the bacteria in itself is very dangerous, and their bouquet, getting into the blood, leaves no chance for the victim. After being bitten by a Komodo monitor lizard, 99 cases out of 100 are fatal.

Giant foot-and-mouth disease, smelling the smell of rot and blood, come running to the feast. They feed mainly on carrion. Rarely do they tear apart live prey. These reptiles are able to tear off and swallow large pieces of meat, in which they are helped by extremely sharp teeth, a powerful jaw and an expanding stomach-pouch.

Interestingly, the pus and infections of the deceased animal do not harm monitor lizards, which simply have incredible immunity. On the contrary, they only enrich the harmful microflora of their oral cavity.

Indonesian predators can also attack people. If within a couple of hours after the bite you do not get medical care, then death from sepsis is inevitable. Several cases of monitor lizard attacks on children have been documented. It is better for women not to visit the Indonesian islands during menstruation, as the smell of blood excites the hunting instinct in monitor lizards, which makes them very dangerous.

reproduction

Puberty in these reptiles, it comes very late - only at 9-10 years of age. In July-August, all sexually mature individuals gather together. Since there are 4 times more males in the population than females, mating is preceded by mating fights. The strongest wins, who gets the female.

After mating, she digs a deep hole, where she lays 20-25 eggs. The lizard protects the masonry for 8 months. But when the goannas hatch, she immediately leaves them. Cubs survive thanks to a strong natural instinct for self-preservation. They spend most of their time in trees, escaping from enemies, feeding on small animals and bird eggs.

Monitor lizards have such a feature as the ability to lay eggs without prior fertilization. At the same time, 100% male lizards hatch.

Dragons also need protection

Unique creatures are distributed over a very narrow range. They are found only on a few Indonesian islands - Komodo, Jili Motang, Flores, Rincha. A total of 5,000 of these giant lizards have been discovered. According to scientists, their numbers are slowly but steadily declining due to the development of the islands by people and poaching. To protect this unique species in 1980 was created national park"Komodo", where excursions are organized.

Animals are listed in the Red Book, hunting for them is prohibited. The law says that even if a reptile attacks a person - an adult or a child, it must not be killed! The "Dragon" must be scared away, after calling professional huntsmen who will find this monster and transport it to the other end of the island.

To control the population of Komodo monitor lizards, a special campaign was carried out, during which all found reptiles were implanted with a chip in their hind legs. So they were counted. Experts emphasize that the largest lizard in the world will survive only in natural environment, for which it is necessary to limit the resettlement of people on the islands.


The Komodo dragon is considered to be the largest lizard. This view was discovered by scientists who, as early as 1912, decided to fully explore the island called Komodo. They were surprised by the size of this creature, so they began to study it. They captured the largest lizards of this species with the help of local natives, and conducted careful research to understand how these monsters were able to survive to this day.

Studies have shown that these monsters belong to the species of ancient lizards, and are cold-blooded creatures. By external factors, scientists attributed this species of lizard to monitor lizards. Considering exactly where these reptiles were found, it is quite understandable why they decided to call them the Komodo monitor lizard.

Lizard sizes

It should be noted that the Komodo dragon can reach quite impressive sizes. The most mature individuals reach a mark of 2.8 meters. At the same time, their maximum weight is about ninety kilograms. Thanks to these dimensions, the Kommodus monitor lizard is considered the largest and heaviest lizard on our entire planet. In the middle of 1937, at the exhibition unique creatures, which took place in Missouri, a specimen of a lizard was presented, which reached more than three meters in length. Her weight was one hundred and sixty-six kilograms, which simply could not help but amaze the gray-haired people.

Appearance of the Lizard

By appearance The Komodo dragon resembles a cross between a lizard and a crocodile. He has a rather large mouth, which is simply strewn with sharp teeth. And thick paws and a massive tail really inspire fear in his rivals. In adult lizards, the skin has a dark color with a brown tint. And in younger individuals, the skin has a light shade with bright spots, which can sometimes smoothly turn into stripes.

It is worth noting that males can be larger than females, and they are also characterized by increased aggressiveness, which is very often shown in relation to other males who decide to enter their territory.

Lifestyle

Lizards are diurnal. Like other cold-blooded representatives of their kind, they love to soak up the sun. These huge reptiles live in burrows, the depth of which can sometimes reach five meters. They tear them out with their large paws and thick claws. They even feed on large animals such as deer and even buffaloes. From the bite of this lizard, the wound of the animal begins to rot, and subsequently it dies.