Lizards, perhaps the most common kind of animal on the earth.They are found on all continents and the continents except Antarctica.This is in addition to, and the most ancient creatures that live on our planet.In Japan, for example, were found remains of an ancient herbivorous lizard with age 130 million years old and found in Scotland fossil reptile, which was defined as a lizard, has an even more advanced age - 340 million years!
In this article we look at these amazing descendants of dinosaurs, learn how the breeding of lizards, and many more interesting things.
Why lizard - is creeping
Today there are about 9,400 members of the class of reptiles, and one of them is a lizard.Anyone who watched the move is being brisk, probably already understand why it belongs to the named class.Lizard, as her other relatives: snakes, turtles or crocodiles, moved, hugging the ground belly, "bound up" with her.The only exceptions are amazing basilisk (Basiliscus), which are able to run on water, and even on two hind legs, with his tail and front paws pressed to the abdomen.
Looks like all reptiles and method of reproduction, which is a characteristic feature of the internal fertilization.Females usually have lay fertile eggs having a high content of yolk and leathery coated (as most lizards) or lime (as crocodiles or turtles) shell.Eggs in lizard clutch may be in an amount as one or two, or several tens of pieces.
This delicacy
way in Colombia lizard eggs are considered a delicacy delicious.For local cuisine using mainly iguana eggs.Hunters seek out female of this species lost its agility because of ready to lay eggs, catching her and make her belly incision.Carefully removed therefrom eggs, and the wound is rubbed wood ash, whereupon iguana released.
course, can be traced, where the lizard postponed delicious eggs, make a nest, and wait until they become a natural way, but locals say it is too troublesome.Therefore, make the animal "Caesarean section".No less tasty are considered, by the way, lizards and eggs.
How young are born lizard lizard
usually lay eggs in secluded places: sand, soil, among rocks or decaying leaves, and in due time have come into the world already fully formed miniature copies of their parents.By the way, in some species of lizards, especially living in the northern latitudes, Young selected from the shell immediately after laying eggs the mother, as the development of the embryo takes place in the body of the female, which does not give him too cold.
interesting to see how this process occurs.Lizard before the advent of birth during the day becomes restless, scratching the ground, curled toward the back tail, and finally in the evening, the light appears the first sitting in the baby shell.Two minutes later, comes the second, third and so on.And each time after laying the female takes a step forward from what the kids go to her in line.An hour later, they have chosen from the shell and hide in cracks in the ground, where he sat, curled tails, until the hungry.
However, these reptiles are not very representative of the caring mother - after the lizard lays eggs, she usually does not return to him.And if sometimes still come to the place of laying, only to eat some of the shells from eggs.
There truly viviparous females!
But not always lizard lays eggs even on such short notice.For example, in South America inhabited by skinks of the genus Mabuya, which can be attributed to a truly viviparous.Skink female bears in the oviducts tiny, with no yolk eggs, which are likely to receive power through the maternal placenta (it is temporarily formed on the walls of the oviduct lizard).There capillaries female fit close enough to the capillaries of embryos to provide them with oxygen and nutrition.
A representative of the Peruvian volatile iguanas (Liolaemus multiformis) live in the highlands, in the Cordilleras, sometimes at an altitude of 5000 meters, where even in summer snow falls.And in order to kids did not die, the female gives birth to live young, passed the whole process of development in the womb.
Yes, lizards - very interesting creation, never ceases to amaze researchers!
How hatch basilisks
Speaking about the lizards, not to mention the basilisk namely the members of the species Basiliskus basiliscus, with the ability to run on water.They develop on the surface of the water speeds up to 12 km / h, breaking the 400 meters.The people of such talent these reptiles called Christ lizards.
This basilisk prefer to live in the stifling humid forests of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, only the trees that grow along the banks of rivers and lakes.But because of the extreme fearfulness basilisk turns tail from any noise or suspicion of danger, jumping from the branches into the water.
In the rainy season pregnant female looking for a hiding place laying, down from the tree for this and dropping the muzzle to the ground, determines where the humidity and temperature will be most suitable.Lizard eggs in the sand or under the leaves are about 10 weeks, after which kids punch their special egg tooth, which later they fall.
What is parthenogenesis
In Armenia live rock lizards that reproduce without males.The eggs hatch and the females only just absolutely can reproduce on their own.
This phenomenon in nature called "parthenogenesis".It is interesting that in other habitats of species of lizards lay eggs, fertilized by a male has.Incidentally, according to the observations of scientists, in the clutches of these lizards can be found eggs with dead embryos male.Why this happens is not clear.
way, komodosskie lizards also have the ability to parthenogenesis due to the limited number of individuals and small area habitats.
sand lizard can be seen near
most numerous race - it Lacerta agillis, the so-called sand lizard.They live all over Europe and Asia.They must have seen each because they settle on the sunny clearings, in backyards or in places where less vegetation, make it easier to take a sun bath.
From March to June lizards mating season begins, and became emerald, the males go in search of beautiful women (who, by the way, seem to be very modest).Oval, up to 1.5 cm long, covered with leathery shell eggs are common lizards burrow dug in about 9 weeks, after which there are kids length of 6 cm, with a darker than the parent color.
From baby to giant
the smallest unit of the gecko lizard is kruglopaly, who lives in India.It weighs just 1 gram, and the length of the crumbs is 33 mm.
way, lizards breeding this species occurs only when there are a lot of water.The female lays one kruglopalogo gecko has the correct round shape tiny egg, which is less than 6 mm in diameter.And it is interesting that while some females often opt for laying the same place.Do not leathery, like most lizards and lime shell of the egg quickly hardens in the air and it becomes extremely fragile.True, to find these masonry due to the tiny size it is almost impossible.They can be in all kinds of cracks and abandoned termite mounds.
But komodossky lizard, living in Indonesia - the giant, allows you to immediately remember that lizards - the direct descendants of dinosaurs.It reaches 3 meters in length and weighs 135 kg.Faced with such a whopper, any attempt to quickly get out.However, the huge size of the lizard did not stop to become the smallest - only now has just 200 members of this species.
Lizards add beauty to this world
Incidentally, lizards have color vision, which is a rarity in the animal world.They, like us, can enjoy all the colors of the world.
Even the reptiles incredibly spectacular and add its fantastic shapes, coloring and habits of beauty in this world.Many lizards are able to change its color or its intensity due to the functioning of the special skin cells called melanophores.By the way, thanks to this completely blind chameleon lizard easily takes the color of the environment and geckos glowing mysteriously flicker in the dark.
Therefore, finding the eggs of lizards, photos of which you can see in the article, do not rush to destroy them, think about how the world poorer without these agile and very interesting creatures.
