Toad-headed, the rainbow, smashed headed rock… what are these monsters?
The agama comprises at least seven species found across Africa where they are the most common lizard. They can be found in sizes of 12.5 to 30 centimeters and have a wide variety of colors. Their front teeth are designed for quick cutting and chewing of their prey. They may also eat grass berries seeds and even the eggs of smaller lizards.
Aculeata the master of land, the tropical Aarmata, Persimilis the dwarf, the spiny Caudospinosa, the pale Rueppelli, the rainbow Wachirai, the long tailed Mucoso… agama lizards thrive in various habitats across the globe. Agamas rely on external heat sources to regulate their body temperature. They are often found in the sun absorbing warmth and energy to stay active and maintain their metabolic functions. One of the most striking features of agama lizards is their body expressions and their coloration. Males can inflate during courtship or territorial disputes; the vibrant displays of hundreds of colors is extremely visually stunning.
Male agamas vigorously defend their territory, displaying aggressive postures and engaging displays to establish dominance. Agama lizards are agile and fast-moving creatures who make well-developed plans and, with their strong muscles – they sprint across the ground and quickly evade predators.
These lizards have a diverse diet primarily consisting of insects and other small invertebrates. They use their long sticky tongues to capture prey with precision, showcasing their hunting skills.
Like other reptiles, agama lizards periodically shed their skin. Shedding helps them get rid of parasites and maintain healthy skin conditions. During this process, they may appear discolored until their new vibrant skin emerges.
Agama lizards belong to the family which consists of over 300 species in various regions around the world. These lizards are known for their vibrant and striking colors which can range from shades of blue to red to orange, yellow to green depending on the species and gender.
The secret toad-headed agama has a few hidden tricks to help it thrive in its arid landscape. Daytime temperatures often approach 100°, so the agama adopts a tiptoe stance
to limit his contact with the hot sands. He tries to escape the sun’s rays by burying himself, shimmying into the sand, disappearing in seconds. Sand provides excellent camouflage from predators. Sometimes four months pass underground in which the agama becomes incredibly hungry, only dreaming of the days where his belly was full.
April is the beginning of the agama mating season. A single male agama is never the only one in the area, and he’ll need to take on a challenger if he wants to earn the right to breed fights over females. Fights can be bloody, but they have less violent ways to scare off the competition.
The challenger unveils his brightly colored skin flaps undeterred; the other male flicks his tail at the challenger, ignoring his intent to stand his ground.
The challenger replies eventually – he works in some swagger and the other backs down after a great struggle, leaving the two lover agamas to get to business, creating the next generation, and all this is just one battle faced by all who wear the lizard skin.
What makes a reptile a reptile? There are four main reptile groups: turtles and tortoises; snakes; lizards, crocodiles and alligators; and the tuatara. The tuatara is a the fourth, little-known branch, first found in New Zealand. The tuatara is the sole member left in the Sphenodontia, which was represented by a lot of species while the dinosaurs were thriving. Tuataras can even grow up to 80 centimeters in length. The remnant males can actually reproduce every year, but unfortunately females usually breed between two to five years, so you can imagine there is a lot of stalking around in bad temper. But back to the reptiles as a class: they are egg-laying animals. Although some snakes give birth to live young, it is a strange fact that the eggs hatch inside the mother’s womb. Reptile eggs are amniotic which means that they have a fluid-filled bag surrounding the embryo. This prevents the eggs from drying out so they can lay their eggs on dry land.
Reptile skin has scales with no hair or feathers. Their scaly skin protects them from drying out – reptiles shed their skins as they often grow in one piece. Almost all reptiles have four legs (the fancy name is tetrapod). Most have short legs and swing their backs side to
side, most reptiles have three-chambered hearts. Alligators and crocodiles however have a four-chamber heart much like birds and mammals. Reptiles are ectothermic or cold-blooded, and they have to use their surrounding environment to warm and cool themselves. Also, reptiles are vertebrates, meaning they have a vertebrae column that protects the spinal cord (like us!). This is useful because when they have a vertebral column, it allows it to support the body’s physical structure and nervous system, allowing for movement and sensation. It also supports the weight of the body, transmitting it to the ground through the limbs. Another thing that can be useful about the vertebral column is that it can protect and support the spinal cord. They also bear the majority of the weight put upon your spine. The body of each vertebra is the large, round portion of bone.
Now, to profile a few of these marvelous agama lizards.
One of the most aggressive lizard species that is known to man is the toad-headed agama. It is a special species that is part of the Phrynocephalus genus family. It is one of the biggest and fiercest species in the genus, and one could often discover it in arid and semiarid environments. It is generally spotted on tops of large, high sand dunes, and occurs at elevations from between −148 ft below sea level to 3,281 ft above sea level in places such as Asia and Eastern Europe. The toad-headed agama is named that because of its unusual lifestyle, different appearance, and strange methods of communication. It can unfold colorful skin flaps at the corners of its mouth to create a vibrant show. Adults can grow up to 24 centimeters long at their full scale – they are greatly known for their red oral display frill.
The famously known West African rainbow lizard, also known as the African redhead agama, is a rare lizard native to West Africa. It is a marvelous member of the Agamidae family. This is a powerful lizard that has conquered places all the way from South Florida, from Miami north to Martin County. The first ever to be found was found in Florida in 1976. Male African red headed agamas are colorful bright orange heads, with beautiful dark blue bodies, multicolored tails, and they can even grow up to a foot long. Females, on the other hand, are not as colorful, but they do have some bright areas where they shine, and are smaller than males. African red headed agamas are usually insectivores. They form small social groups that contain both dominant and subordinate males. The eggs they lay are usually in huge clutches ranging from five to seven ellipsoidal eggs. The eggs will generally hatch within eight to ten weeks.
The Mwanza flat-headed rock agama is often mixed with the rainbow agama as they have many similarities. The flat-headed rock agama can be often found in semi deserts and can be seen in the hot weather just peacefully basking on rocks. The male’s head, shoulders, and neck are often seen in bright red or even violet; on the other hand, their body is royal blue. The female is usually found in shades of brown and is impossible to distinguish from female agamas of other species. The Mwanza flat-headed rock agama waits for their prey to come in close and then suddenly they pounce on their prey. It waits quickly and eagerly under a rock or large stone, or in the shade and waits for an insect or small mammal to walk by, so it can capture it. After that, it chases the prey and catches it using a tongue with a tip covered by spikes.
The Kenyan rock Agama, Agama lionotus was particularly hard to find. Finding the Kenyan rock Agama took a bit of searching. This species can be a stippled brown and black which makes it nearly invisible; it’s a camouflage expert, able to change to a color of its choice. It is said to be the commonest lizard in Kenya, and also found in parts of Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania. The Kenyan rock agama is not toxic, venomous, or aggressive to humans and often leaves when approached.The bite of a large agama could painful, but it is highly likely that there is no chance of death. The Kenyan rock agama is known to eat insects, especially ants, grasshoppers, beetles, and termites. They will also consume berries, other fruit, seeds, eggs, flowers, grasses, and even small mammals, but will be more hesitant about it. The Kenyan rock agama lives in small social groups with a dominant male and several subordinate males and females. The dominant male defends the territory from intruders.
From the toad-headed to the smashed rock, from the frog faced to the rainbow – agamas have both the color, vibrancy, and attitude.