Lizards
1. red-head agama
2. brown basilisk
3. short-horned horned lizard
4. tropical house gecko
5. butterfly lizard
6. Puerto Rican giant ameiva (Ameiva
exsul)
7. six-lined racerunner
8. western fence lizard
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six-lined racerunner (Cnemidophorus
sexlineatus sexlineatus), Archbold Biological Station, Venus,
FL, 2008.
For a reason that I cannot fully explain, whiptails are my least
favorite group of lizards. I grew up with them in Arizona where they
are one of the most common types of lizards, but I just do not like
them. However, I am glad to have a picture of one on my website. |
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Red-headed agama (Agama
agama),
Fairchild Gardens, 2008. This series of photos above are of the 2
males seen at Fairchild. There is a small colony of the agamas that
live in the Madagascar plants collection of Fairchild Gardens.
This is a place full of rocks that make hospitable living conditions
for agamas.
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red-headed agama male keeping sentinel on top of the
rocky outcropping.
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Puerto Rican giant ameiva female (Ameiva exsul), Jobos National
Estuary, Puerto
Rico, 2007.
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Brown basilisk (Basiliscus vittatus), Crandon
Park, Key Biscayne, Miami, FL, USA.
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short-horned horned lizard (Phrynosoma douglasii)
Cortez, CO, USA.
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Red-headed agama (Agama
agama africana),
Fairchild Botanical Garden, Miami, FL, USA. The subspecies
that
was introduced in all establish populations in Florida was from Togo
and Ghana. The subspecies is characterized by an orange head,
blue
to black body and a tricolored tail.
This adult (in the process of shedding) remained on top of the rocks in
Madagascar plant exhibit with his mouth slightly open, body erect. I
guess that this is a defensive display behavior because I was close to
him. He was watching me the whole time and did not interact
with
any other lizards while I was there, except the lizard in the top
right. He attacked this juvenile to get it to leave.
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Butterfly lizard (Leiolepis
belliana),
South Miami, FL, USA. This individual was by its burrow in a
lawn
on the corner of SW 102 Ave and SW 70th Street. Though they have been
reported in a several block radius of this individual's location, I
only saw 2 lizards in this yard. Fortunately they do not seem
to
spread from this point of original introduction.
They are very wary and quickly retreat to their burrow. I
took
this photo from my car. As soon as I opened the car door and
put
my feet on the ground, it immediately fled underground.
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western fence lizard, Sant Barbara, CA, 2008.
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red-headed agama, Fairchild Botanical Garden,
2009.
I wonder if Fairchild put these lizards here, even though
they may have come in from other parts of Miami where they are found.
However, I think that it is more likely that they were put there
intentionally. |
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| Juvenile red-headed agamas (Agama agama), Fairchild
Gardens, 2008. |
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Female red-headed agamas (Agama agama),
Fairchild Gardens, 2008. Several females were found at Fairchild
Gardens in the Madagascar are plants collection. It appears that the
males are both territorial and keep harems because only two adult males
were seen but several adult females were seen.
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Brown basilisk (Basiliscus vittatus), Crandon
Park,
Key Biscayne, Miami, FL, USA. All four pictures are males except 2nd
picture.
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short-horned horned lizard (Phrynosoma douglasii)
Cortez, CO, USA.
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juvenile red-headed agama (Agama agama),
Fairchild Garden, Miami, FL, USA
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Tropical house gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia),
Fairchild Botanical Garden, Miami, FL, USA, 2007.
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Brown basilisk female (Basiliscus
vittatus),
Crandon Park, Key Biscayne, Miami, FL, USA.
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