Reticulate collared lizard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Reticulate collared lizard |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Crotaphytus
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| Species: |
reticulatus
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The Crotaphytus reticulatus, also known as the reticulate collared lizard, is a medium-sized lizard. It belongs to the family called Crotaphytidae. This lizard lives in dry, rocky areas, especially in a region known as the Tamaulipan mezquital.
You can find this lizard in parts of the United States, specifically in Texas. It also lives in Mexico, in the states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas. What makes this lizard special is that it's the only one in its family that doesn't always need rocky places to live.
About the Reticulate Collared Lizard
The reticulate collared lizard is usually tan or brown. It has a cool pattern of lines and spots, called reticulations, all over its back, legs, and tail. Some of these patterns are filled with black color.
Most collared lizards have different colors for males and females. But for the reticulate collared lizard, males and females look very similar. The only time they look different is during the breeding season. At this time, male lizards get a bright yellow chest.
Their "collars" (markings around their neck) are quite faint. The front collar goes all the way around their throat. The area under their chin, called the dewlap, is greenish-gray with a black spot in the middle. Females have a white or yellow dewlap without the black spot. The lizard's belly is white or a creamy color.
This lizard can grow to be about 16 inches (41 cm) long, including its tail. During breeding season, males have a black collar and yellow chest and throat. Females develop orange bars on their underside when they are carrying eggs.
Collared lizards have small pockets near the base of their tail. They also have skin folds above their front legs. The reticulate collared lizard is unique because it doesn't have special pockets for mites near its back legs. This suggests it might have branched off from other collared lizards a long time ago.
How the Reticulate Collared Lizard Behaves
The reticulate collared lizard is active during the day. This means it is a diurnal animal. It mostly eats meat, so it is a carnivorous creature. Its diet includes invertebrates like insects and other small animals. Sometimes, it even eats other lizards!
These lizards often sit on rocks to warm up in the sun. If you get too close, they are usually very quick to run away. They spend most of their lives on the ground, much like their relatives, the leopard lizards. When they feel threatened, they will hide in burrows made by rodents or under bushes.
Protecting the Reticulate Collared Lizard
The places where the reticulate collared lizard lives are shrinking. This is happening because of things like habitat destruction. Climate change might also be affecting them.
Because of these problems, the reticulate collared lizard is a protected species in the United States. It is the only type of collared lizard in the U.S. that is protected from being collected. This means it's important to help keep their habitats safe!
