Belttails belong to the family of reptiles, suborder lizards. The family includes about 70 species.

Belttails are diurnal lizards, the size of various members of the family ranges from 12 to 70 cm. Belttails live in rocky and arid regions South Africa, are also found on the island of Madagascar. Belttails live in rocky deserts and semi-deserts, bush thickets, savannas; some species of belttails rise high into the mountains. Quite often, lizards live on rocky outcrops, among scattered boulders.

Belttails differ from other lizards by the presence of large scales, which look like rectangular plates that cover the bone base of the reptile. The scales are especially large on the back; on the belly they are less developed. The scales located on the tail form wide rings (belts), which is why the family received the name “Belt-Tails”.

You will find out why the belted tails curl into such a ring under the cut and even watch the video.

The body of belt-tails is colored light or dark brown; due to this coloring, they are also called golden belt-tails. There is a dark pattern on the stomach, which is especially pronounced in the chin area.

The teeth of belt-tailed animals are uniform, pleurodont. The eyes of belt-tails are well developed, with a round pupil, and the eyelids are separate and movable. Some species of belt-tails have well-developed five-fingered limbs. On both sides of the body of the belt-tailed fish there is a special fold, which is lined with small scales, which, like the spindles, facilitates eating, breathing and laying eggs.

Belttails live in groups on rocky soils. Belttails are active in daytime days. Cracks in rocks, burrows, and crevices between stones serve as shelter for the belttail.

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When in danger, the small belt-tailed lizard curls up into a ball, grabbing the tip of its tail with its teeth, for which it is also called the armadillo lizard. In this way, the small belt-tail defends its vulnerable spot - the abdominal area. What is interesting is that in this position it is impossible to separate the small belt-tailed fish. Some belt-tails, at the moment of danger, hide in a gap between stones, cling with their claws and swell, resting against the walls of the shelter, in this way the belt-tails do not allow the attacker to pull them out of there.

Most members of the family are ovoviviparous lizards, but oviparous species are also found. Belttails living in the southern part of their range can fall into hibernation, this is due to the fact that in summer the temperature environment very high, and in winter - very low. Some species of belt-tailed animals, especially common in the northern part, in winter time they do not hibernate for years.

In nature, some species of belttails feed on insects, while other species are completely herbivorous. Larger belt-tails, which reach 70 cm in length, prey on small mammals and other lizards that are smaller than themselves.

It is almost impossible to determine the gender of the Belly-tailed Cat. But, as a rule, females are smaller than males, and females have a lighter head, which has a clearly defined triangular shape. Males reach sexual maturity by the age of three.

The lifespan of belted tails is more than 25 years. The Lesser Belttail can live 5-7 years in captivity.

All types of belt-tails have their own characteristics and fundamental differences. Thus, in some species of belt-tailed animals all limbs are very well developed, while in others they are completely absent or are in a greatly degraded state (as, for example, in chamesaurs). The diet of belted tails also varies greatly among each individual species. Some of the representatives of the belt-tails feed on insects, while others are completely herbivorous. But the largest belt-tailed animals, whose dimensions reach seventy centimeters in length, hunt small mammals and lizards smaller than themselves for food.

Belttails living in southern regions range of their distribution, hibernate, freezing during cold weather. However, there are also types of belted tails (mainly in the northern part of their distribution) that do not hibernate in the winter season. Different types Belttails have different defensive strategies. Particularly distinctive of them can be called the self-defense of the small belt-tail. This species of belt-tailed fish lacks hard scaly plates in the abdomen, making this area the most vulnerable. Therefore, when there is a premonition of danger, the small belt-tail curls up into a ball, biting its tail very tightly - so that it is impossible to separate it. This is how the small belt-tail defends its vulnerable spot.

Genus Bellytail include the following types and subspecies:

1. True belt-tails (small belt-tail, giant belt-tail, common belt-tail, East African belt-tail).
2. Plasitaurs
3. Hamesaurs

Each genus of belt-tails in turn includes several subspecies.

Individuals in a group are tameable and easy to handle, although the rest of the family will hide when trying to pick them up. Those who tend to be sociable can be trained to eat from their hands. Males are aggressive (compared to males of other belt-tailed species), so only one male is kept in a group. Belted tails allow you to observe them and do not hide. Covering the glass of the terrarium with film will also contribute to less timidity, allowing you to see your pets, but they cannot see you.

The East African belt-tail requires a spacious horizontal terrarium (90 liter for one pet, 180 liter for a group, and, of course, more is possible). For example, for a group, 90 cm (width) x 60 cm (depth) x 50 cm (height) is quite suitable. This species is quite social, so it is recommended to keep a group. To make the skin changing process smoother, a bathtub is placed in the terrarium.

For lighting, lamps with ultraviolet radiation (Repti Glo 10.0) and incandescent lamps are used, under which pets can bask. Daily schedule: 12-14 hour day. The temperature under the incandescent lamp should reach 35 degrees (this species loves to sunbathe), in other areas it should be about 25. Night temperatures should be lower: 20 - 22 degrees. Humidity: 40-60%.

When kept at home, East African belttails are quite omnivorous, and their diet mainly consists of crickets, mealworms and grasshoppers. Insects are sprinkled with calcium and vitamin supplements before feeding. Feeding worms should be placed in a feeding container so that they do not accidentally mix with the substrate. Feeding frequency for adults is usually once every two to three days. If we see that ours are reluctant to eat, we sometimes even take a break of up to 3 days.

There are a huge number of animals in the world. From the simplest, found at every step, to the extremely rare and exotic. One of the exotic animals is the dragon lizard, which will be discussed in this article.

Dragon lizard or flying dragon - belongs to the subfamily of Afro-Arabian agamas(Agaminae) and is one of its most prominent representatives.

Definition

The name is due to the lateral folds of skin that allow it to fly over a distance of about 20 meters. This ability was acquired by lizards due to the fact that it is very difficult to survive while on the surface of the earth and running along the forest floor, in which predators can hide. Adapting to life on tall trees, they solved this problem. This lizard is also called: dragon, flying dragon, flying lizard and flying dragons.

Description

The flying lizard is an inconspicuous animal that blends very well with the tree on which it lives. Stealth is primarily due to its small size. The lizard's length varies from 20 to 40 cm. Most of the body length is a thin tail, which, among other things, performs the function of turning during flight. The body is narrow and can reach 5 cm in thickness.

A distinctive feature of this lizard from others is the small corrugated folds on both sides of the body. They are attached to false ribs and spread during flight, forming wings. Males have a special fold located on the throat that helps stabilize their position during flight. In addition to helping during flight, the gular fold serves to attract females and scare away opponents.

The second element What keeps them invisible on trees is their brown-gray color with a metallic sheen, which allows them to blend not only with the trees, but also with the surrounding landscape. The side membranes on both sides are painted in bright colors, which alternate one after another. The colors on the top side shimmer into color scheme- red, yellow, with various inclusions - spots, stripes and specks. On the bottom side you can see this picture: yellowish and bluish color here, connected with dots various colors. Speaking about color, one cannot fail to mention the bright colors of the animal’s tail, legs and abdomen.

Habitat

Where can you find these wonderful creatures? The main habitat of flying lizards can be called:

• India;
• islands of the Malay archipelago;
• Borneo island;
• Malaysia;
• most of Southeast Asia.

Live in tropical forests, where there are many tall trees on the crowns of which you can comfortably sit. They practically don’t go down to the ground, only in case of egg laying or accidental fall.

Behavioral features

The behavior of flying dragons is determined by the presence of “wings” and the ability to glide over a distance of over 20 meters. It is the presence of folds that causes these reptiles to live at altitude. Their favorite height is upper layer of the forest. Even going down a little lower is already a bad option.

Flying dragons spend most of their time motionless. This is because their color helps them remain invisible while sitting on a tree without moving. They feed on ants, insect larvae and adult insects that they encounter in their habitat.

The moment flying dragons see their prey, they jump in its direction and straighten their folds. Their goal is to catch an insect in flight and land on a nearby tree. They succeed in this thanks to good maneuverability in the air, which, in turn, is achieved due to the presence of a tail and a fold under the throat.

One of characteristic features Flying lizards can be called having their own territory. Each flying lizard occupies about three trees, which it uses for hunting. If an animal the size of a flying dragon lands on one of the trees, it will first begin trying to drive away the enemy with its appearance, and then attack the invader.

The female flying dragon, in turn, also has a special manner of behavior. Despite the fact that they spend most of their time in the trees, they have to descend and lay eggs in the ground.

Using their pointed nose, they dig small holes in which they lay up to four eggs. After this, they cover the holes with mud and guard them for 24 hours. After this period they return to the top.

The most common types

There are about thirty species of flying dragons. The main ones:

• Draco affinis
• Draco biaro
• Draco bimaculatus
• Draco blanfordii - flying dragon Blanford
• Draco caerulhians
• Draco cornutus - horned flying dragon

Considering that dragon lizards spend most of their time camouflaging themselves, one should not be surprised that they have been little studied. Scientists have no information about, how long do dragons live and how many babies hatch from each egg. It is known that small flying dragons can fly immediately after hatching.

In tropical rainforests southern hemisphere There are thousands of species of diverse fauna on our planet. The most exotic species of mammals, amphibians and birds live here. Their most striking representative is the dragon lizard. This is a small reptile with wings that, upon closer inspection, closely resembles the main character of Chinese folklore.

The flying dragon has a relatively small body

Description of the appearance of the reptile

The winged reptile belongs to the family of agamidae lizards. In the process of evolution, dragons acquired not only the ability to camouflage, but also the ability to fly. This miniature animal leads a secluded life in the upper tier of tropical trees and rarely comes down to the ground.

The only exception is a failed flight and the need to lay eggs. However, not all representatives of this subfamily breed on the soil surface. Some species of dragons hide their eggs in tree bark. Small sizes and inconspicuous color allow them to remain invisible to natural enemies.

Reptiles with the formidable name “flying dragon” are not distinguished by their impressive size; the length of the largest individuals is forty centimeters, with the main part falling on the tail, which acts as a rudder during flight. It is not surprising that lizards easily avoid collisions with plant branches.

Males have distinguishing feature in the form of a growth

They have a narrow, flattened body. There are six elongated ribs on the spine, onto which a leathery fold is attached. As it straightens out, it turns into a kind of cape, which amazes with its bright patterns in the form of circles or smooth lines. A unique feature of the skeleton structure allows the reptile to glide above the ground, avoiding falling. In this way they can cover a distance of more than twenty meters.

Males have a bright orange skin growth on their throat, which they use to attract females. mating season. With its help, he scares away other animals that violate the boundaries of his territory, which occupies three or four trees. According to experts, the enlarged hyoid bone helps stabilize the body during flight. Females are more modest in size, with blue or light blue folds.

Features of nutrition and reproduction

The winged lizard is known to eat insects. Their menu includes:

• wood ants;
• beetles and butterflies;
• termites;
• insect larvae.

Leading a sedentary lifestyle, the flying dragon lizard can wait for hours for prey to appear. As soon as this happens, the reptile catches and swallows the victim, without changing its body position.

The dragon feeds on various butterflies

When hunting flying insects, it plans between branches and catches prey. Grabbing it with his teeth, he returns to the tree and eats it. The necessary liquid is obtained from food, so the reptile does not need water. Among natural enemies, the main ones are birds of prey and snakes, from which the lizard hides, merging with the environment.

The flying dragon is an oviparous lizard. During the mating period, the male inflates his bright folds, thereby demonstrating to the female his beauty and readiness for procreation. The female lays two to four eggs. To protect them from predators, she buries them in small holes dug in the soil. Masks the nest with leaves and dirt. She is helped in this by her pointed nose, specially adapted for such manipulations.

The reptile guards the clutch for one day, after which it returns upstairs. After a few months, the cubs hatch, ready to independent life and having the ability to fly.

The hidden lifestyle does not allow scientists to thoroughly study the lizard. It is not yet known how many babies are born to one individual, as well as how long they live. But the number of these animals is not critical, and they do not fall under the status of protected animals.

Habitats

The small, harmless reptile is found near the equator and in southeast Asia.

Reptiles live in a number of countries

Natural environment its habitats include:

• Myanmar;
• India;
• Southern China;
• Kalimantan Island (Borneo);
• Malay Islands;
• Indonesia and the Philippines;
• Bangladesh;
• Eastern part of Vietnam and Thailand.

The flying lizard prefers places far from cities and villages. That is why in wildlife It is difficult for a person to meet this exotic animal.

Variety of species

Scientists know about thirty species of winged lizards. Among them the main ones are:

• ordinary;
• reticulate;
• spotted;
• bloodbeard;
• five-way;
• Sumatran;
• horned;
• Blanford.

All flying agama lizards are united by the presence of wings. They differ from each other in size, habitat and different colors. The color palette is determined by the color of the surrounding nature.

Sumatran lizard

Unlike other representatives of its kind, it prefers abandoned parks and degraded forested areas not far from human habitation. Not found in wild jungles or remote areas.

Maximum length body – 9 cm.

They are the smallest of the flying dragon family. Body length is only nine centimeters, the color is gray or brown and almost indistinguishable from the bark of the trees on which they live.

Horned dragon

A unique species that lives on the island of Kalimantan. Includes two populations. One of them lives in mangroves, the other prefers lowland rain forests. A remarkable feature of horned lizards is their ability to camouflage themselves as falling leaves. The mangrove dragon has red membranes, while its relative has green membranes with a brown tint.

Imitation of falling leaves allows animals to float freely in space without fear of attack birds of prey. According to scientists, reptiles do not use their camouflage for communication. Individuals that have migrated to other forest zones acquire an adaptive membrane color. In any place where they live, they imitate leaf fall.

The ability for divergent evolution distinguishes the miniature lizard from many representatives of the fauna of our planet. Nature has endowed them with the ability to fly. and camouflage as the only way to survive in the harsh conditions of the wild jungle.

In this video you will learn more about the little dragon:

Not only squirrels, snakes, birds and fish fly, but also lizards. Draco volans or Flying Dragon is a reptile from the family of agamidae lizards (subfamily of Afro-Arabian agamas). They are also called Flying Dragons (lat. Draco) or even simply dragons.

In size, this creature reaches 20-40 centimeters in length, and its distinctive feature– this is the presence of clearly defined “wings”. The wings are corrugated folds of skin, and thanks to them the lizard is able to fly up to 60 meters.

This is quite enough for the reptile to gracefully soar between neighboring trees. Flying is a very useful skill for a lizard that feeds on insects and larvae. This greatly facilitates her search for food and allows her to quickly and efficiently hunt for prey.

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Usually lizards sit unnoticed on the treetops - when they fold their wings, they almost merge with the surrounding landscape. And if necessary, the flying dragon glides down with lightning speed - and it is capable of “flying” both vertically and horizontally, as well as quickly changing the direction of movement. Each adult dragon has its own “hunting ground” - a section of forest consisting of several trees located in the vicinity.

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Of course, the lizard does not fly to full meaning of this word, but rather plans, like a glider or parachute. The “aviation system” of these lizards is designed as follows: they have six enlarged lateral ribs—however, biologists consider them false ribs—that are capable of extending and spreading their skin “sail” (or “wing”) for subsequent gliding.

Male lizards have another noticeable difference in external structure. This is a characteristic throat pouch - a skin fold.

The fold of skin is the main advantage of the male dragon, which he regularly demonstrates by spreading it widely and protruding it forward. Anatomically, this sign is due to the presence of processes of the lizard’s hyoid bone, thanks to which the leathery sac on the reptile’s throat can swell. Among other things, it is believed that the skin fold helps the male during the migration process by stabilizing his body.

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The flying dragon itself has a small, narrow and flattened body. Its body is usually monochromatic in color, usually green. But the wings on the outside can be painted in the most exotic and attractive colors - green, yellow, with a purple tint, with spots, specks and even stripes. I wonder what reverse side The dragon’s “wings” are no less brightly colored – spotted lemon or blue.

Where can you find this amazing creation of nature? These wonderful representatives of reptiles live in the untouched corners of Southeast Asia.

Different types of flying dragons are found in tropical jungle South India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. In addition to Draco volans, biologists know about thirty other species of flying dragons. Of these, Draco volans is the most common and famous representative of a kind, for which it is also called an ordinary flying dragon.

Video about dragons...

The flying lizard (Draco volans) belongs to the family Agamidae lizards, order Squamate. The species name Draco volans translates as "common flying dragon".

Distribution of the flying lizard.

The flying lizard is found in tropical rain forests in southern India and southeast Asia. This species is distributed in the Philippine Islands, including Borneo.

Habitats of the flying lizard.

The flying lizard is found mainly in the tropics with sufficient trees to support the reptile.

External signs of a flying lizard.

The flying lizard has large “wings” - leathery outgrowths on the sides of the body. These formations are supported by elongated ribs. They also have a flap, called a dewlap, which is located under the head. The flying lizard's body is very flat and elongated. The male is about 19.5 cm long and the female is 21.2 cm long. The tail is about 11.4 cm long in the male and 13.2 cm in the female.

Common flying dragon, flying lizard - a representative of the agamidae

Dracos is distinguished from others by rectangular brown spots located on the upper part of the wing membranes and black spots below. Males have a bright yellow dewlap. The wings are bluish on the ventral side and brown on the dorsal side. The female has slightly smaller dewlaps and a bluish-gray tint. In addition, the wings on the ventral side are yellow.

Reproduction of a flying lizard.

The breeding season of flying lizards is believed to be between December and January. Males and sometimes females display mating behavior. They spread their wings and shake their whole bodies when they collide with each other. The male also fully spreads his wings and in this state circles the female three times, inviting her to mate. The female builds a nest for the eggs, forming a small hole with her head. There are five eggs in the clutch; she covers them with earth, compacting the soil with the clap of her head.

The female actively guards the eggs for almost a day. Then she leaves the clutch. Development lasts about 32 days. Small flying lizards can fly right away.

Flying lizard behavior.

Flying lizards hunt during the day. They are active in the morning and afternoon. At night, flying lizards rest. Such life cycle allows you to avoid the daytime period with the highest light intensity. Flying lizards do not fly in the full sense of the word.

They climb onto tree branches and jump. When jumping, lizards spread their wings and glide towards the ground, covering a distance of about 8 meters.

Before flying, lizards turn their heads down towards the ground, gliding through the air helps lizards move. Lizards do not fly during rainy and windy periods.

To avoid danger, lizards spread their wings and glide downwards. Adults are extremely mobile and very difficult to catch. When the male encounters other lizard species, he displays several behavioral responses. They partially open their wings, vibrate their bodies, and 4) fully open their wings. Thus, males try to frighten the enemy by demonstrating enlarged body shapes. And the female is attracted by her beautiful, spread wings. Males are territorial individuals and actively protect their area from invasion, which usually has two or three trees and is home to one to three females. Female lizards are clear candidates for marital relations. Males defend their territory from other males who do not have their own territory and compete for females.

Why can lizards fly?

Flying lizards have adapted to living in trees. The color of the skin of flying dragons is monochromatic green, gray-green, gray-brown, merging with the color of the bark and leaves.

Skeleton of Draco volans

This allows them to remain invisible if the lizards are sitting on branches. And the bright “wings” make it possible to soar freely in the air, crossing space at a distance of up to sixty meters. The spread “wings” are colored in green, yellow, purple shades, decorated with spots, specks and stripes. The lizard does not fly like a bird, but rather plans, like a glider or parachute. For flight, these lizards have six enlarged lateral ribs, the so-called false ribs, which, when expanded, extend a leathery “wing”. In addition, males have a noticeable fold of bright orange skin in the throat area. In any case, they try to demonstrate to the enemy this hallmark, sticking it forward.

Flying dragons practically do not drink; they compensate for the lack of fluid from food. They easily detect the approach of prey by ear. For camouflage, flying lizards fold their wings when sitting in trees.