도마뱀분양 Reptiles can be difficult to identify from a distance, especially when they are moving quickly and hiding out of sight. Look for size, shape, pattern and color to help you determine the species you’ve seen.
Reptiles with smooth skin shed their scaly coverings regularly. Shedding allows them to grow bigger and also gets rid of parasites.
Komodo Dragon
Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) have no natural predators in their wild habitats, but they are still hunted by humans and face habitat loss due to land clearing. They are one of the world’s largest lizards, reaching almost 10 feet (3 meters) in length and weighing over 300 pounds (136 kilograms). They have a scaly, gray to reddish-brown body with black and yellow bands and a long, pointed tail. They eat both vegetation and carrion, and they can kill animals larger than themselves.
These solitary hunters are diurnal, moving around in the sun until dusk and hiding at night. They have a keen sense of smell and can track the scent of blood or death over great distances. They have been known to eat up to 80 percent of their body weight in one meal. Their curved teeth can easily pierce and swallow prey whole.
During breeding season, males fight for territory and females by grappling each other on their hind legs until the loser retreats or is killed. They also display courtship behavior, rubbing their chins on females and giving hard scratches to their backs.
When young, Komodo dragons live in trees, where they are safe from their cannibalistic 도마뱀분양 adult counterparts. They can climb as well as any tree-dwelling lizard, and their powerful claws are useful tools for hunting or just getting around.
Leatherback Sea Turtle
The Leatherback Sea Turtle is the largest sea turtle and has the widest migratory range of any reptile. It is the only sea turtle to lack a hard shell and instead has an elongated carapace composed of thin, tough, rubbery skin embedded with minuscule bone plates that is colored dark grey or black and marked by white or pale spots. The plastron is whitish to black and marked by five ridges. Hatchlings are a lighter color and have scattered blotches on their carapaces.
They are highly specialized to forage in open ocean waters, diving deeper and traveling farther than other sea turtle species. Their scissor-like jaws and throat cavities are lined with spines to prevent prey from escaping once it has been swallowed. They are known to eat jellyfish and other soft-bodied invertebrates and are considered an important part of the marine food chain.
Leatherbacks are able to maintain core body temperatures in water as cold as 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the only reptile known to do so. They are also able to hold their breath for long periods of time and dive underwater for more than three hours. Females nest several times during the season, laying an average of 80 fertilized eggs and 30 unfertilized eggs the size of billiard balls in each clutch. The eggs hatch about six months later. They spend most of their lives at sea and return to shore only to lay their eggs.
Black and White Tegu
The Argentine Black and White Tegu, or tegu (Tupinambis merianae), is a large South American lizard species that can grow up to 4.5 feet long and weigh 20 pounds. It is commonly found in the pet trade but can have negative impacts in the wild if it is released without proper management.
In the wild, tegus are solitary and diurnal and spend much of their time foraging or basking in the sun to regulate body temperature. They are efficient egg predators and have been known to raid the nests of other reptiles and birds. During colder months, they may spend time in trees but are generally terrestrial in their habitats.
Despite their size, tegus are not aggressive and rarely bite humans. However, they are strong and can be very defensive and will lash out at their perceived predators when provoked. Their tails can also be dropped as a distraction or used to strike with force, which can leave bruises.
In captivity, tegus are easy to care for and will develop a close relationship with their owners. They need a room at least two meters long and one meter wide with a substrate based on coconut fiber or cypress bark that stores moisture well. Providing UVB lighting, a very hot basking spot and an area of cooler temperature are other important requirements for their health and happiness.
Alligator
The alligator is the largest reptile in North America. Males can grow to 4.4 m (14 ft) or more and weigh over 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). It is the second largest member of the family Alligatoridae after the black caiman. It inhabits subtropical and tropical freshwater wetlands such as marshes, cypress swamps, and rivers. It is a predator throughout its range and the top predator in most of its habitat.
These scaly, armored creatures have four short legs, long tails, and a broad, rounded snout that makes them easily distinguishable from their cousins, the American crocodile. A key characteristic is that the fourth tooth on either side of the lower jaw fits into an internal socket in the upper jaw when the mouth is closed, as opposed to a crocodile’s fourth tooth, which is always exposed.
Alligators regulate their temperature by spending more time in the sun or in cooler water than they do in warm or humid air. They can hold their breath underwater for up to 20 minutes or, in very cold water, hours. They use their snouts to breathe while they sleep, sticking them out of the water slightly.
Although regarded as fierce and dangerous, alligators are very caring parents, staying with their babies for about two years. They also make loud roaring noises, not to attract mates but to scare off potential predators.