Roundheads are a group of peculiar agamid lizards specialized for life in the desert. About 20 of their species live in Asian deserts, 4 representatives of the genus are found in the south of Russia.
Some roundheads have acquired perky names that are strange for lizards, such as the spinning roundhead or ace (the sandy roundhead is often called for its pink spot, reminiscent of the shape of a tambourine card suit and located in the middle of the back - like a card ace).
Lizard lifestyle
Roundheads live in the deserts of Central Asia.
Representatives of the species lead a sedentary lifestyle. Each lizard has its own feeding area, the area of which is several hundred square meters. But males do not guard their areas as strictly as the long-eared roundheads.
The habits and lifestyle of the spiny roundhead are similar to the behavior of the motley roundhead, but due to their constant residence on the sand, they have certain characteristics. The spiny roundhead often buries itself in the sand, making vibrating movements with its body. In this way they escape from their pursuers, warm themselves in cool weather and rest. In addition, these lizards can make their own burrows. At the same time, they build 2 types of burrows. Summer ones are built in the sand for a while, they quickly collapse, their length is 10-30 centimeters. Winter burrows are deeper, their length is about 80-110 centimeters.
The spinning lizard digs very deep burrows.
Like many species of lizards, roundheads primarily eat ants, but in addition, their diet includes succulent parts of plants. When searching for food, they use their powerful vision, but sometimes the spiny tails are deceived and rush to the weeds that the wind blows across the sand, and only when they grab the weed do they realize that it is inedible. After the lizard spits out inedible food, it carefully cleans the labial cheeks with its tongue.
Roundheads are hunted by many animals.
Roundheads run quickly on the sand, and they can also jump to a height of about 20 centimeters. A feature of the behavior of representatives of the species is the characteristic curling of the tail; with the help of these gestures, individuals communicate with each other. Twisted roundheads have a protective color, so they become unnoticeable in the sand not only for predators, but also for their own relatives, and the special movement of the raised tail with a contrasting black and white color on the underside allows them to find each other and communicate that this territory busy and communicate at a safe distance. The roundhead unwinds its tail very quickly, instantly dissolving and becoming invisible among the sands. Thanks to this behavior, atypical for other relatives, these lizards got their name.
These lizards move very quickly on sandy soil.
Features of round-headed lizards
In the large family of agamidae lizards, round-headed lizards occupy a special place: there are no known genera related to them. Scientists believe that a long time ago the ancestors of roundheads separated from the ancestors of other agamas and have since gone through a long evolutionary path. There are few other equally striking examples of adaptation to life in the sandy desert. Thanks to a number of features, roundheads are among the most noticeable desert land animals, and at the same time, they are very different from other lizards that are more familiar to us. Roundheads have a rounded short head, large eyes, shifted slightly forward and upward. The body is short and wide, which gives them a somewhat awkward appearance. In the desert you rarely see bright colors, everything around is sandy-gray, and most lizards are colored to match the sand, and only the roundheads have the underside of the tail painted in bright colors: in some species it is bright white, in others it is blue, red or orange. Such a bright and moving spot stands out sharply against the general grayish background.
Roundheads are helped to run on sand by “sand skis”—that’s what zoologists call devices that expand the area of support for the animals’ fingers. In lizards, this is achieved due to the scales on the fingers, which grow into wide, flat teeth. These denticles form ridges on the sides of the fingers. In addition, the toes of psammobionts (animals that live in the desert) are longer than those of other lizards and widely spaced. All these factors increase the foot support area, preventing unwanted tucking and sliding.
Roundheads do not have an external ear, but only an external ear opening or an eardrum located directly on the surface of the head. In general, these lizards hear practically nothing, in the human sense, but the organ of hearing perceives any vibrations of the substrate.
The weak point of roundheads is the nostrils. They look like a thin, curved slit, protected on all sides by scutes, and the nasal canals are so curved that the grains of sand that do get through this slit cannot penetrate far and will soon be expelled with the mucus protecting the nostril. There is still no data confirming the role of the nose in the sense of smell; the lizard apparently needs the nostrils only for breathing.
Poorly developed hearing and smell are compensated by excellent vision. Roundheads, like other lizards, still retain a third, parietal eye, which was developed in the ancient ancestors of modern terrestrial vertebrates. This rudimentary organ is located on the back of the head and is capable of distinguishing only the degree of illumination, but this also turns out to be useful. The roundhead sees perfectly with its “real” eyes: it can notice a moving person at a distance of 30 meters. Roundheads rely only on their vision in search of food, which also helps them notice the enemy in time. Eyelashes (modified scales) protect the eyes from sand. In addition, the eyes are protected by the sides of the supra-, sub- and preorbital shields framing the orbit. All this allows the long-eared roundhead to sit on the top of the dune during a sandy snowstorm, without fear of clogging its eyes.
Reproduction of roundheads
Male roundheads are not much different from females; even herpetologists cannot always determine their sex. The most pronounced external difference is the tail of males that is longer and swollen at the base. The sex ratio is approximately equal for all species of roundheads - there is one female for one male. But they do not form permanent pairs.
Courtship games and mating occur in spring and early summer. The female “decides” when and whom to choose as the father of her future offspring. Usually this choice is made simply - the female simply runs away from the gentleman she doesn’t like. Sometimes the latter vigorously pursues her. In such a case, the female has a special form of behavior: turning to the male and tilting her head, she lifts and arches her body. At the same time, she can make lunges towards an unlucky suitor with an agape mouth and even try to bite him. If this does not work, the female uses the last, very effective and unique behavior among lizards: she turns over on her back and remains belly up until the male leaves her alone. If the male is to the female’s liking, then after 2-3 weeks she lays from 1 to 6 eggs. Each female can make two or even three such clutches. The eggs are oblong, covered with a leathery shell. In the second half of summer, babies are born, exact smaller copies of adults, and immediately begin to live independently. Parents do not show any concern for their offspring. The young grow quickly, and some species reach adult size by the beginning of winter.
Security
Due to their biological characteristics, roundheads are completely defenseless creatures; it costs nothing to catch or crush them. When they rest in the upper layer of sand, they are crushed by livestock, vehicles, and also people. Other lizards sitting in burrows are not so easy to crush.
Roundheads are very cute and funny lizards, they are very interesting to watch, but you don't need to catch them to take them home. It is extremely difficult to keep and breed roundheads in captivity; for their comfortable existence it is necessary to recreate a very complex set of conditions. They are completely unsuitable for keeping a home; it is better not to take them to certain death.
Let's follow a simple principle: visit nature and not change anything in it, including not reducing the number of these unique animals by a single individual, and this will be our contribution to their protection.
Literature: The amazing world of reptiles. Semenov D.V. M., 2003; Amphibians and reptiles. Orlova V.F., Semenov D.V. M., 1999.
Reproduction
Animals reach sexual maturity in the first year of life. During the mating season, the male will definitely rush from his observation post when the female appears. Its behavior in this case is similar to that in relation to its opponent - the same curling of the tail, opening of the mouth, throwing away sand with its paws. But the male is not afraid of an attack from the female and turns to her not sideways, but with his muzzle. If the female is not inclined to accept courtship, she runs away. When the male prevents her from doing this, she simply rolls over onto her back. This specific behavior of females of all species of roundheads who are not ready for mating is intended to stop the mating claims of males. In extreme cases, the female can simply bury herself in the sand right in front of the “suitor’s” nose. The female receiving courtship demonstrates a posture of pacifying, submissive behavior, pressing her whole body to the sand.
Mating continues from the second half of April until the beginning of July. The first egg laying occurs in mid-May - mid or late June; the second - in the second half of July. There are 2 - 6 eggs in a clutch, measuring 15 - 22 x 25 - 31 mm. The clutch size depends on the size and age of the females. Young lizards emerge from eggs starting in late July, with mass hatching beginning in mid-August. The dimensions of newborns are 30 - 40 mm. Sexual maturity occurs at the end of the second year of life. The young usually settle close to each other in the areas where the clutches are located. Their individual sites are often located on the territory of adult and subadult individuals. Young of the year practically do not move away from their burrows (no more than 1.5 - 10 m).
Video
Skinks
They live everywhere except Antarctica. They have smooth fish-like scales. The temporal arches are well developed. Among them there are such striking representatives as blue-tongued skinks - gigantic or tiliqua. They live in Australia and the islands of Oceania.
Their size is not so impressive - up to 50 cm. But the body is very wide and powerful. An individual touch is a wide tongue of deep blue color. Perhaps these are the consequences of the diet. They prefer to eat shellfish and plants.
Among skinks, there are species with unusual eyes - with a transparent window on the lower eyelid. They always see, even when they close their eyes. And gologlaz have transparent eyelids fused together, like snakes. These “lenses” allow them to absolutely not blink.
Members of the family represent a smooth transition to legless forms - from normally developed limbs and five fingers to shortened and reduced variants, and finally, completely legless. There are short-tailed, prehensile-tailed and spiny-tailed species, as well as semi-aquatic, floral and desert species.
In the Russian Federation live:
The long-legged skink is found in Central Asia, Eastern Transcaucasia and southeast Dagestan. Up to 25 cm in size, movable eyelids, very brittle tail. The color is brownish-olive with grey. Bright and variegated longitudinal stripes are visible on the sides.
Far Eastern skink, resident of the Kuril and Japanese islands. Olive-gray in color with a bluish-pearl long tail. Included in the Red Book of Russia.
Fusiformes – 3 families
Veretenitaceae
Among them there are crawling, snake-like ones, and ordinary ones - on four five-toed paws. All scales are supported by bone plates called osteoderms. Some have stretchable folds of skin on their sides, which make it easier for them to breathe and swallow food. Unlike snakes, they have movable eyelids and auditory openings. The jaws are strong, the teeth are dull. There are viviparous species.
In the Russian Federation live:
The brittle spindle or slow spindle is a legless lizard up to 50-60 cm long. Its shape resembles a spindle. The color is reddish-gray or brown, or bronze-copper, for which it received its second name.
The yellowtail or capercaillie is also a legless lizard. Or rather, there are still hind limbs, but they represent very small tubercles near the anus. It can reach 1.5 m in length. The head is tetrahedral, with a pointed muzzle. The color is olive-gray with brick tones.
Monitor lizards - now there are 3 families left
Desert birds
Griffon Vulture
Red Book bird within Russia and the countries of the former Soviet Union. The predator is named white-headed because it is mostly brown. White color is present only on the head and a little on the legs of the bird. It is a large flying predator, weighing up to 15 kilograms. The wingspan of the vulture reaches 3 meters, and the length of the bird is 110 centimeters.
The head of the vulture is covered with short fluff. Because of this, the body seems disproportionately large, because it is hidden under full, long feathers.
Barn owls are considered long-lived, living from sixty to seventy years
Vulture
All 15 species of vultures live in desert areas. Most birds do not exceed 60 centimeters in length. Vultures weigh about 2 kilograms.
All vultures have a large and hooked beak, bare neck and head, hard feathers and a pronounced crop.
The vulture is a big lover of carrion
Ostrich
The largest flightless birds. Ostriches cannot fly into the air not only because of their heavy weight, but also because of their underdeveloped feathers. They resemble fluff and are not able to withstand air currents.
The African ostrich weighs about 150 kilograms. One bird egg is 24 times larger than a chicken egg. The ostrich also holds the record for running speed, accelerating up to 70 kilometers per hour.
Ostrich is the largest bird on the planet
Vulture
What animals in the desert can stop being found? Vultures. Over the past decades, only 10% of the population has remained. The species is listed in the International Red Book. Their prey is partly to blame for the birds' deaths. They eat food and grass “stuffed” with pesticides.
The second factor in the decline in the vulture population is poaching. They also hunt protected rhinoceroses and elephants. Vultures flock to the carcasses until they are transported.
Employees of environmental organizations are combing desert areas, focusing specifically on flocks of scavenger birds. In order not to find the main prey of poachers, they also shoot vultures.
Looking out for prey, vultures are able to rise above the ground more than 11 kilometers. Other birds are not capable of flying higher than Everest.
Jay
The saxaul jay lives in deserts. She is the size of a blackbird. The jay weighs about 900 grams. The color of the bird is ashen on the back and pinkish on the chest and belly. The tail and wings are black and have a blue tint. The animal has long gray legs and an elongated, pointed beak.
The desert jay prefers to feed on coprophages. These are organisms that eat feces. Accordingly, saxaul jays look for breakfast, lunch and dinner in the excrement of other animals.
Desert Raven
Otherwise called brown-headed. Not only the head, but also the neck and back are chocolate-colored. The length of the bird is 56 centimeters. The bird weighs about half a kilo and is found in Central Asia, the Sahara, and the deserts of Sudan.
The desert raven nests on acacia, saxaul, and tamarisk. Females build nests on them together with males, using the dwelling for several years in a row.
Desert Shrike
It belongs to the passeriformes, weighs about 60 grams, and reaches a length of 30 centimeters. The color of the bird is gray-gray. Black stripes run from the eyes to the neck.
The shrike is one of the desert animals of Russia and is found in the European part of the country. Beyond its borders, the bird is found in the Middle East, Central Asia, and Kazakhstan.
Ryabka
Lives in the deserts of Africa and Eurasia. Like many birds of arid areas, sandgrouses fly for water for many kilometers. During the breeding season, chicks remain in the nest. Sgrouse bring them water on their feathers. They absorb moisture from representatives of the species.
There are 14 species of sandgrouse in nature. All live in arid steppes and deserts. In order to water the chicks, the hazel grouse “covered” even their paws and toes with feathers. From the outside it seems strange why a desert dweller needs such a warm “fur coat”.
SANDY ROUNDHEAD (Phrynocephalus interscapularis)
SANDY ROUNDHEAD (Phrynocephalus interscapularis) rarely exceeds 80 mm in length including tail. Its distinctive features, in addition to its small size, are the tail, which is flattened throughout and the presence of a fringe of small white jagged scales on the sides of its base, as well as on the rear edge of the thighs. On top, this lizard is sandy-yellow in color with a dense pattern of dark and light dots and ocher or brown spots. On the back, just below the shoulder blades, there is usually a pinkish or rusty-ochre spot surrounded by a purple border. The underside of the body is pure white with 2-4 sharp black stripes across the middle part of the tail, while the bottom end is jet black. Unlike the previous species, the sandy roundhead inhabits not only dunes, but also scattered areas of hummocky sand, preferring, however, places almost completely devoid of vegetation. Its burrow is a simple, somewhat inclined passage up to 15 cm long, which the lizard tears off anew within a few minutes each time it goes to spend the night. “A sandy roundhead that has jumped out of the sand,” writes V. Fausek, “rushes along the bare surface of a sand dune with extreme speed... Having stopped, it does not take any measures to ensure that its presence is unnoticed... The animal, whose back is completely sand-colored, does not press against the ground, but, on the contrary, it possibly rises high on its front and sometimes hind legs, raising its head up. The white belly, separated by a sharp line on the sides of the body from the sandy color of the back, stands out and catches the eye. At the same time, the lizard does not stand still, but makes quick movements with its tail, twisting it upward towards the dorsal side and immediately unwinding it again and making sharp movements with its curved tail from time to time to the left and right. The underside of the tail has black transverse stripes separated by white intervals; with rapid movements it forms a bright spot that is sharply conspicuous... When the phrynocephalus stands in its threat pose on the sand, twisting and unwinding its tail, then... at the same time it makes a quick movement of the foot of one of its legs, throwing back a pinch of sand. The arrangement of the fingers is shaped like a rake and apparently serves for this throwing of sand. After standing for a while, the lizard runs further with the same rapid speed, and then finally stops and with extreme speed, with the help of lateral movements of the body, buries itself in the sand. Then she really instantly disappears from sight... and lies motionless, although she is covered only with a very thin layer of sand.” The raising and curling of the tail by sand roundheads serves to signal their presence to other individuals. “The bright variegated color of the underside of the tail,” writes N.V. Shibanov, “serves them to identify each other. I have repeatedly observed in their behavior what would probably be correctly called mating games. At short intervals, one of the lizards, usually a female, buries itself half or completely in the sand. The other immediately stops and, twitching her tail curled over her back, looks around. But then the burrowing one raises its head from the sand and throws its bright white striped tail over its back, which stands out sharply against the background of the sand. Noticing the “signal,” the second roundhead immediately runs up to the first, and the “game” resumes.” The roundhead feeds on ants, termites, beetles, caterpillars and butterflies, which it often catches in flight, deftly jumping into the air; Occasionally it also eats succulent parts of plants. Egg laying begins in the second half of April - early May. The eggs, which are relatively large for such a small lizard - their larger diameter reaches 10-15 mm - are laid singly at least 3-4 times per season, and they alternately mature in the right and then in the left ovary. Young roundheads 45-50 mm long begin to appear from the end of June. They grow very quickly and reach sexual maturity by the spring of next year, almost no different in size from adults.
Sandy roundhead
In the loose and semi-fixed sands of the Kyzylkum desert you can often see very small lizards - sand roundheads.
They are found in interbarchan depressions and on fixed sands. Shelters for them are shallow burrows in the sand or loose sand, into which the lizards dive using quick lateral movements.
Sandy roundheads are widespread throughout the sands of the Central Asian republics and Southern Kazakhstan. Absent only in the sandy massifs of Central Fergana.
Their color on top merges with the ground: sandy-yellow with a dense pattern of dark and light dots and ocher or brown spots. There is an oval pink spot on the back between the shoulder blades. Lizards living in the Surkhandarya region and Tajikistan do not have such a spot. They belong to a special subspecies, and some experts even distinguish them as an independent species. The belly of these lizards is white. The lower part of the tail has two to four sharp transverse black stripes, and its tip is black. The body length of the sand roundhead is 40-46 mm, weight is only up to 2 g.
After wintering, these roundheads appear on the surface in late February - March, and during this period they are most active in the middle of the day. In April-May they emerge from 8-9 am and disappear after the sun has completely set. Activity occurs in the morning and evening hours. In autumn, daily activity is the same as in spring. Lizards hide in their winter shelters at the end of October and November.
Food is looked out for or actively searched for on the soil surface. They mostly eat ants. Minor food components include beetles (pollen beetles, darkling beetles, weevils, aphids), small bugs, cicadas, locusts, termites, ichneumon fly, bees, caterpillars, butterflies and flies. Sometimes they also eat plant foods - flowers, buds and seeds.
Sand roundheads in the Kyzylkum desert begin laying eggs in mid-May, and in the south of Turkmenistan - in the sands of the Karakum desert - earlier - at the end of April. Unlike other species of roundheads, this lizard is very small in size, therefore during the breeding season it lays only one egg in each clutch, 10-12 mm long, weighing 150-160 mg. Young newborn roundheads with a body length of 22-23 mm were encountered at the end of June. Fingerlings grow quickly and become sexually mature in the spring of next year.
Sandy roundheads molt in patches in the Kyzylkum and Karakum desert from spring to autumn.
The sand roundhead has many enemies. Of the reptiles, it is eaten by the reticulated foot-and-mouth disease, the long-eared roundhead, the gray monitor lizard, the arrow snake, the eastern and sand boas; Among the birds - the common tern, the gull-billed tern; among mammals - piebald putorak.
In the Kyzylkum and Karakum deserts, these roundheads are of great benefit, destroying harmful insects, especially ants, which take away huge amounts of seeds of desert plants.
If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl+Enter.
Appearance
Long-eared roundhead in the Moscow Zoo A medium-sized lizard - body length reaches 11.2 cm, weight - 42.5 g. The head, body and tail are noticeably flattened. The front edge of the muzzle descends vertically to the upper lip, so the nostrils are not visible from above. The body is covered on top with ribbed, keeled scales. The top is sand-colored with a grayish tinge. Against this background, a complex, patterned pattern of small dark lines, spots and dots is visible. The underparts are milky white, with a black spot on the chest. Juveniles have creamy underparts, without spots. There may be a dark marbled pattern on the throat. The tail is somewhat flattened, with a black tip.
Round head feeding
The main diet of the roundhead is insects and invertebrates. Depending on its habitat, the lizard can feed on beetles, ants, spiders, butterflies, their larvae, and moths. With the help of a sticky tongue and keen vision, the reptile manages to feast to its fill.
Round head butcher
Moloch eats foraging ants in a very interesting way. Due to the fact that ants secrete formic acid in times of danger, the lizard tries to capture the insect while they are working (transporting cargo along the ant path). During this period, insects are busy and may simply not notice the impending danger.
Description
Appearance
The occipital and dorsal crests are not developed. The head is short, rounded in front. The throat is crossed by a transverse skin fold. The throat pouch is missing. The tail is rounded, slightly flattened at the base, and can curl spirally over the back. The ear opening is hidden under the skin. Femoral and anal pores are absent. Horny teeth are developed on all or some of the toes of the hind legs. Part of the upper surface of the head is covered with scales, which differ in size from the occipital and temporal scales, and are called the cap. The number of scales across this cap is important for identifying species.
Spreading
Distributed in the desert zone of southeastern Europe, Central Asia, northwestern China, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Together with lizards of the genus Eremias
form the core of the Palearctic desert fauna.
Lifestyle and behavior
They prefer open desert landscapes. Capable of digging holes. In case of danger or at night, a number of species are characterized by a peculiar diving into the sand through rapid lateral movements of the body. Characteristic movements of the tail are typical, which are important in demonstrative behavior and differ from species to species.
Territorial. Daytime activity.
Reproduction
Most species of roundheads are oviparous, with clutches ranging from 1 to 7 eggs. There are 4 viviparous species ( P. forsithii
,
P. theobalcli
,
P. vlangalii
,
P. zetangensis
), whose range is limited to the Tibetan Plateau.
Reproduction and lifespan of roundhead
It is quite difficult to visually distinguish a female from a male; they are approximately the same in size. If you look closely, the male has a brighter color than the female. The mating season falls in the month of April. This is exactly the time when the lizard comes out of hibernation.
During the courtship process, the male finds an elevated place, puts his tail vertically and begins to swing it in different directions. At the same time, it demonstrates the bright color of the lower part of the tail. If the lady likes him, then the suitor bites the belly or upper part of the female’s body.
Almost all subspecies of roundheads lay eggs. In one clutch, a female can have from 1 to 7 eggs. For example, in the Araks Valley, lizards lay eggs three times per season. The babies hatch on the 40th day.
In the photo, the round-headed eared
During the wintering period, the main offspring die, only 15-20% of the brood survive until spring. The main reason is natural enemies (snakes, boas, birds and pythons). The lifespan of a lizard ranges from 2-3 years, no more.
Lifestyle
These reptiles are very sun-loving, and therefore lead a diurnal lifestyle. Unlike other lizards, they do not hide in the shade, but prefer to be under the scorching rays of the sun all day. Having climbed out of the sand in the morning and shook itself off, the round-headed lizard heads to the highest place in the area. Having climbed to this unique observation post, the reptile freezes in anticipation of prey. The roundhead often remains in this position for several hours, only occasionally looking around to protect itself from danger.
Seeing a threat, the reptile can disappear in the depths of the sand in a few seconds: to do this, it spreads its paws wide, falling with its whole body onto the surface, after which it begins to rapidly vibrate, causing the sand to part and absorb its body, leaving not a trace on the surface. Roundheads have plenty of enemies in nature: snakes, larger lizards (especially the gray monitor lizard), as well as birds of prey, jerboas and hedgehogs like to feast on them. The latter are the most dangerous for the reptile, since they are active during its night sleep and can reach the roundhead, which is unable to fight back, in its shelter.
Roundheads do not hide in the shade, but prefer to be under the scorching rays of the sun all day.
These lizards do not know how to crawl slowly, although they do not run the same way as other species of their relatives do: round-headed lizards move only in a straight line and do not maneuver between obstacles at all. This feature often becomes the reason that these reptiles tip over at turns or crash into the first obstacle they encounter.
As a rule, each individual lives in a certain territory, the size of which depends on many factors: the availability and supplies of food, shelters, neighbors and other needs of the “owner” of the site. Although, roundheads often lead a nomadic lifestyle, huddling in small groups and roaming the desert in search of food and shelter from enemies.
The place of residence of these reptiles sometimes changes due to the important need of their body, which is to maintain a constant body temperature: at low temperatures they choose the sunniest places, and at elevated temperatures they climb into the shade. Each roundhead lives in a certain territory, the size of which depends on many factors.
Each roundhead lives in a certain territory, the size of which depends on many factors.
At sunset, lizards go to rest for the night, which can be any secluded place: the base of a wide bush, a hole or a depression under the top layer of sand.
As for burrows, the roundhead, as a rule, digs them independently, although some individuals prefer to spend the night in the burrows of other animals.
Lifestyle of roundheads
Roundheads are one of the most sun-loving desert inhabitants. Usually they do not hide from the scorching heat among sparse vegetation, like other lizards, but prefer to stay in open space all day. They can also be seen during hot midday hours, when all life in the desert hides from the scorching sun. Look at the photo of the roundhead, somewhat reminiscent of a sphinx on top of a dune - this is one of the usual pictures of the desert landscape.
The roundhead sits motionless at its observation post, only occasionally turning its head, watching to see if prey appears or if danger threatens. Prey appears regularly - there are plenty of ants in the desert. Seeing an ant, the lizard watches it for a moment, then takes off and quickly runs towards it, sticking out its tongue as it goes, and, as a rule, hits the target on the first try. The roundhead also attacks spiders, beetles, flies and other small animals. The long-eared roundhead, being the largest, eats even small lizards, and, on occasion, its own young.
Roundheads run quickly, although the method of running is not at all the same as that of other lizards, which wriggle and can change direction when running and maneuver between obstacles. Roundheads, on the other hand, rush in a straight line; turning while running is a problem for them - they often tip over on a bend or crash into an obstacle. They also cannot crawl slowly, as other lizards do. They usually move from place to place in short and quick dashes.
In the behavior of roundheads, an element unusual for agamas is noted: with the help of body vibration, they bury themselves entirely in the sand at lightning speed, or only one head may remain above the surface. Special valves and scaly eyelashes protect the nostrils and eyes from grains of sand, and the mouth is covered with a fringe of scales.
The vast majority of roundheads live in individual areas. Depending on food supplies, shelters, the needs of the “owner” and the influence of neighbors, the size of individual territories can vary from several tens to several hundred square meters. Some individuals do not occupy individual areas, preferring a nomadic lifestyle.
Clashes between roundheads are not uncommon, but the fight is more of a ritual nature. Having caught up with each other, the males try to “intimidate” the enemy. The curling of the tail is accompanied by energetic movements of the paws - violently throwing sand to the side, sharp bending and straightening of the limbs. All this can go on for quite a long time, with rivals often running from place to place, sometimes resting and again rushing to sort things out. Eventually one of the lizards can't stand it anymore and runs away. But sometimes the aggressiveness is so great that the rivals pounce on each other and roll around in a ball, biting each other, although the males, as a rule, do not receive serious injuries.
Appearance
The long-eared roundhead (Phrynocephalus mystaceus) is a medium-sized lizard: its body length reaches 11.2 cm, tail length - 15 cm, weight - 42.5 g. The head, body and tail of the long-eared roundhead are noticeably flattened. At the corners of her mouth she has a large fold of skin, the free edge of which is lined with long conical scales. The lizard's body is covered on top with ribbed, keeled scales. The top is sand-colored with a grayish tinge. Against this background, a complex, patterned pattern of small dark lines, spots and dots is visible. The underparts are milky white, with a black spot on the chest. Juveniles have creamy underparts, without spots. There may be a dark marbled pattern on the throat. The tail is somewhat flattened, with a black tip.
Origin of the species and description
Photo: Vertihvostka
The Latin name Phrynocephalus guttatus was given to the reptile by the German botanist Johann Gmelin in 1789. Another name for the spiny round head is tuzik. The lizard got its name from the pink spot located in the middle of its back, like an ace card, shaped like a diamond suit. The genus of roundheads differs from other representatives of the agamidae family in the ability to curl their tail upwards, the absence of visible eardrums, and the rounded outlines of the head.
Video: Twilight
The species can be identified by the number of scales between the eyes or by the movements of the tail. A closely related species is the mottled roundhead. Moreover, most naturalists generally question the diversity of species. Externally, the reptiles are very similar. The only difference is the protective coloring of the spiny tail. Since the lizard is a desert dweller, its color is sandy gray.
There are 4 subspecies of spiny tails:
- phrynocephalus guttatus guttatus;
- phrynocephalus guttatus alpherakii;
- phrynocephalus guttatus melanurus;
- phrynocephalus guttatus salsatus.
Habitat and appearance features of lizards
Under certain conditions, a particular species acquires specific characteristics, adapting to its environment. Moreover, these features are expressed in appearance, in methods of nutrition and reproduction, rhythm and daily activity, and thermoregulation.
Desert lizards have outgrowths (scallops) on their toes, a kind of skis, which make it possible to move freely through the sand and dig holes and holes.
Species that live on rocks and in forest areas are characterized by the presence of elongated limbs with claws and a long tail for clinging to the surface, and in geckos, special hairy extensions have appeared on the toes below to grip a smooth vertical surface.
Serpentine lizards without limbs have adapted to move, wriggling like a snake, and burrow into loose soil.
The body temperature of species living in deserts and tropics is 26°-42°C; in species living in temperate latitudes and nocturnal species it is much lower. If the external temperature rises significantly, the lizards take refuge in the shade, and when the ambient temperature drops for a long time, they hibernate, reducing any activity. Hibernation in regions of temperate latitudes can last 6-30 weeks.
Species living in the steppes acquired the ability to trot and even run using only two legs, and the iguana Basiliscus americanus learned to run on the surface of the water, splashing its hind limbs. The long tail helps the lizard balance and control its body while running.
Insects and arthropods of the desert
Scorpion
Scorpios have 6-12 pairs of eyes. However, vision is not the main sense organ for arthropods. The sense of smell is more developed.
Scorpions can go without food for 2 years. Together with toxicity, this ensures the survival of the species. Scorpions are already 430 million years old. This is exactly how many adults carry numerous children on their backs. They ride on their mother for the first week of life. The female protects the offspring, because few dare to attack an adult scorpion.
Darkling beetle
These are desert beetles. In the photo, the desert animals are small, coleopterous, and black. This is one of many subspecies of darkling beetles, called the desert slugger. The beetle's front legs have teeth.
Darkling beetles of other species settle in the tropics, in the steppes, and even in human homes. Being nocturnal and hiding under wooden floors, insects rarely catch the eye of the owners of the building. Therefore, in the old days, meeting a beetle was considered bad luck.
Scarab
Most of the 100 species of scarab are native to Africa. Only 7 species of beetle are found in Australia, Europe and Asia. In length it is from 1 to 5 centimeters. The appearance of the animal is similar to the dung beetle. The species are related. The activities of insects are also related. Scarabs also roll dung balls, rolling them along the sands.
Scarabs bury dung balls in the sand, jealously guarding them from other beetles. If they encroach on the food supplies of a relative, there will be a fight.
In ancient times, the scarab was considered a sacred deity
Ants
In deserts, ants build houses not so much above as below the ground. Only the entrances to the anthills are visible. The system of passages is inhabited by long-legged individuals. Otherwise you will simply drown in the sand.
In deserts, ants rarely find food. That's why families have colonies of so-called honey barrels. They have elastic bodies. When filled with food, they can stretch 10 times. These are the animals that live in the desert. They fill their bellies with honey barrels in order to feed their relatives during dark days, weeks and even months.
Smoky Phalanxes
This is a spider. The animal reaches 7 centimeters in length. The animal is distinguished by powerful chelicerae. These are the mouthparts of spiders. In the phalanx they consist of two parts fastened like a joint. The general appearance of the arthropod's chelicerae is similar to the claws of a crab.
Of the 13 species of phalanxes, only one lives in forests. The rest are inhabitants of deserts and semi-deserts of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan.
Literature
- Ananyeva N. B., Orlov N. L., Khalikov R. G., Darevsky I. S., Ryabov S. A., Barabanov A. V.
Atlas of reptiles of Northern Eurasia (taxonomic diversity, geographic distribution and conservation status). - St. Petersburg: Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 2004. - 232 p. — 1000 copies. — ISBN 5-98092-007-2. - Ananyeva N. B., Borkin L. Ya., Darevsky I. S., Orlov N. L.
Five-language dictionary of animal names. Amphibians and reptiles. Latin, Russian, English, German, French. / under the general editorship of academician. V. E. Sokolova. - M.: Rus. lang., 1988. - P. 164-165. — 10,500 copies. — ISBN 5-200-00232-X.
Where does the spinner live?
Photo: Round-headed frogtail
The vast range of lizards extends from the coast of the Caspian Sea to the western borders of China. The southern border passes through Turkmenistan and the Repetiksky Nature Reserve in the southeast of the country. In Russia, amphibians can be found in Kalmykia, Stavropol Territory, Lower Volga region, Astrakhan, Rostov, Volgograd regions and Dagestan.
Interesting fact: The range boundary is the hottest place on the planet. In summer the air temperature warms up to 50 degrees in the shade.
The largest populations are in Kazakhstan. They live throughout Mongolia. Separate groups of animals live in Azerbaijan, Southern Russia, and Karakalpakstan. In the Asian part of the range, the nominative subspecies is most common. On the territory of the Volgograd region there lives one isolated population in the Golubinsky Sands zone.
Individuals prefer fixed and weakly fixed sands with sparse vegetation. Lizards are able to burrow into the substrate using oscillatory lateral movements. The dug holes are used as shelters. The total length of the inclined stroke reaches 35 centimeters, and the depth is up to 20 centimeters.
The following can be used as temporary shelters:
- cracks in the soil;
- rodent burrows;
- accumulations of leaves and stems of cereals and subshrubs.
The Kazakhlyshor flytail is the only population that lives strictly in the saline desert. Rarely seen on the slopes of dunes. Under suitable conditions it can live in the steppes. Recently, it began to be found in the Orenburg region.
Now you know where the spinning lizard is found. Let's see what she eats.
Interesting facts about the reptile
After years of observing chameleons, researchers have discovered several interesting facts:
- Changing the color of a chameleon's body can happen in just 20 seconds.
- The lizard's eyes are capable of seeing in two directions at once.
- Small varieties of chameleons have a larger tongue in relation to their body than their larger relatives.
- Shooting, the chameleon's tongue is able to catch the victim in 0.07 seconds.
- Each chameleon foot is equipped with 5 toes, grouped into sections of 2 or 3 toes. This gives the lizard's paws a resemblance to forceps. The limbs of the reptile are very well adapted to moving through trees.
- Male chameleons have a more striking appearance. Many wear “decorations” on their faces and heads in the form of processes, ridges or protrusions.
- Chameleons, like snakes, do not have ears, middle or outer, and therefore these lizards hear poorly.
- Chameleons are able to see the surrounding reality in normal and ultraviolet light.
The American chameleon is in fact a small lizard of the iguana family. Exotic chameleons are lizards that are popular among both naturalists and potential pet owners. A distinctive feature of these reptiles is the ability to change the color of their skin. Some types of chameleons are suitable for keeping at home.
Watch this video on YouTube
Desert reptiles
Snake arrow
A colubrid venomous snake, typical of Central Asia. The species is especially numerous in Kazakhstan. Sometimes the arrow is found in Iran, China, and Tajikistan. There the snake moves so quickly that it seems to be flying. That's why the reptile was nicknamed the arrow.
The body of the arrow also matches the name. The snake is thin, with a pointed tail. The animal's head is also elongated. Inside the mouth are poisonous teeth. They are deep-set and can only penetrate the victim when it is swallowed. Only miniature creatures are capable of swallowing a small one. Therefore, the arrow poses almost no threat to humans.
Arrow is a very fast snake
Gray monitor lizard
It grows up to one and a half meters and weighs more than 3 kilograms. The giant lives among lizards in the East, Africa, and Asia. Only young monitor lizards are gray. Adults are sandy in color.
Zoologists believe that monitor lizards are the ancestors of snakes. Lizards of the genus also have a long neck, a deeply forked tongue, and the brain is enclosed in a bony membrane.
The gray monitor lizard is one of the largest reptiles
Round head
Found in Kalmykia. Outside of Russia, the lizard lives in the deserts of Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, and Iran. The length of the animal is 24 centimeters. The lizard weighs approximately 40 grams.
The lizard's profile is almost rectangular, but there are skin folds at the corners of the mouth. When the animal opens its mouth, they stretch. The outer sides of the folds are oval. Therefore, the head of a lizard with its mouth open appears round. The integument inside the animal's mouth and on the inside of the folds is pink-scarlet. The size of the open mouth and its color repel roundhead offenders.
The roundhead buries itself in the sand by body vibrations
Efa
Belongs to the viper family. The snake lives in Africa, Indonesia and Asian countries. Living in deserts, efa grows to a maximum of 80 centimeters. Often the snake stretches only half a meter. This helps save resources. The reptile needs them 24 hours a day. Unlike other snakes, the epha is active both during the day and at night.
Efa is poisonous. With the small size of the animal, the toxins of one individual are enough to kill an adult. In the absence of medical care, he will die painfully. Efa's poison instantly corrodes red blood cells.
Horned viper
The snake is medium in size. The length of the animal rarely exceeds a meter. The horned viper differs in the structure of its head. It is pear-shaped and flattened. Above the eyes, several scales are arranged into horns. The snake's tail is also covered with similar spines. The needles are pointed outward.
The horned viper looks scary, but the snake's venom is not fatal to humans. Animal toxins cause a local reaction. It is expressed in tissue swelling, itching, pain at the site of the bite. You just need to be patient. The discomfort goes away without leaving a trace on your health.
The snake got its name from the pair of horns on its head.
Sand boa
It is the smallest in the boa constrictor family. A relative of the anaconda does not even grow to the meter mark. If you look at the snake's anus, small claws are visible. These are the rudiments of the hind limbs. Therefore, all boas are called pseudopods.
Like other boa constrictors, the desert boa obtains food by grasping and squeezing its prey.
Spiketails
Representatives of a genus of 16 species of lizards. They are found in the Sahara, deserts of Algeria. Animals choose mountainous, rocky wastelands.
The tail of lizards of the genus is covered with spine-like plates. They are arranged in circular rows. Thanks to its exotic appearance, the lizard began to be kept in terrariums.
Spiketails hide by leaving their spiked tail outside
Gecko
There are 5 species of skink geckos that live in deserts. Everyone has a wide and large head. She is set high. The scales on the tail are folded like tiles.
Animals of deserts and semi-deserts choose dunes with sparse vegetation. Lizards do not drown in sand because they have fringed scales on their toes. The growths increase the area of contact with the surface.
Steppe tortoise
It is called steppe, but lives exclusively in deserts, loves thickets of wormwood, saxaul and tamarisk. The animal differs from the marsh turtle in its convex shell. It is not suitable for cutting waters. Where are they from in the desert?
There are no swimming membranes between the toes of the steppe turtle. But the animal’s paws are equipped with powerful claws. The reptile uses them to dig holes in the sand. The life of animals in the desert has made adjustments to their anatomy.
Being a long-liver in the desert, the lifespan of turtles is significantly reduced when kept outside the wild
Relationships with relatives
In general, the character of the lizard is quite friendly, however, during the period of mating or defense of territory, skirmishes often occur between males, in which rivals try to scare each other as much as possible. In the technique of intimidation, the roundhead holds the palm because, in a sense, it can turn into a real little dragon.
To do this, she raises the front part of her body, then spreads her hind legs wide and opens her hissing mouth as much as possible, exposing numerous sharp teeth that are not visible in a calm state. Moreover, the skin folds and mucous membrane at the corners of her mouth take on a bright red hue.
The ominous pose is complemented by sharp movements of the paws and twisting of the tail, after which the rivals violently rush at each other. Such sparring ends with temporary respites or complete surrender of one of the opponents.
The character of the lizard is quite friendly, however, during the period of mating or defense of territory, clashes often occur between males.Keeping at home
Roundheads are very funny creatures, and therefore increasingly attract lovers of home reptile breeding. However, in their desire to have a new pet, many exotic lovers forget to familiarize themselves with the rules of keeping, which ultimately leads to the rapid death of the lizard.
Experts generally do not recommend relocating this reptile to artificial conditions, since it tolerates such experiments extremely poorly.
The main disadvantages of keeping a roundhead as a pet:
- complex care, including constant monitoring of temperature and humidity in the terrarium;
- expensive equipment;
- difficulties with feeding the reptile and providing it with access to water.
Buying and bringing a new exotic resident into your home is not a difficult task, but it is much more difficult to provide such a pet with all the conditions for its full life. And, most importantly, life in captivity deprives any animal of the main value given to it by nature - freedom, and therefore it is worth thinking very carefully before deliberately dooming a living creature to lifelong imprisonment and, probably, quick death.
Desert lizards. Long-eared roundhead
July 19, 2012 admin
The nature of the desert is harsh, inhospitable and unique, but it is also full of contrasts and unexpected encounters. Among the frozen giant sand dunes, in the morning traces of the activity of the nocturnal inhabitants are clearly visible; the wind has not yet had time to blow out the mysterious and bizarre patterns left on the sand. This harsh region is home to many reptiles: snakes, turtles, lizards. Among them is the long-eared round-headed lizard (Phrynocephalus mystaceus), which can be found in the desert during the day, because this lizard from the Afro-Arabian agama family is active at this time of day.
This species of sand lizard emerges from its burrows just after sunrise
She does this carefully, first her head appears from the sand, then part of her body, and only after making sure that there are no enemies nearby does she crawl completely to the surface. Shaking off the sand like a dog, the lizard finds the highest place nearby, climbs onto it and freezes for a long time, like those stone animal figurines that are sold as souvenirs
So the roundhead can spend hours looking out for its prey: caterpillars, ants, beetles, bedbugs, termites, wasps and lizards, somewhat smaller in size. Sometimes you can diversify your diet with plant foods, although in the desert the choice is not so varied.
The long-eared round-headed lizard is a medium-sized lizard, usually its body length does not exceed 11.2 cm, and it weighs like a large apple, 40-42.5 g. The entire body structure and grayish-ocher coloring with black sinuous stripes and spots help this reptile blend in with surrounding background and become almost invisible. The head, body, tail already have a flattened shape, and if the lizard also presses against the surface, then its motionless body can be mistaken for an ordinary small dune.
Amazingly, the lizard can freely sit on its hind limbs, and even curl its tail like a steering wheel, and then again the comparison with a little dog involuntarily comes to mind. And if the long-eared roundhead feels threatened, it can instantly disappear, but only if there is sand under it. To do this, the lizard, spreading its paws to the sides, falls to the surface and begins to quickly vibrate with its whole body, the sand parted and absorbs the animal, leaving no traces on the surface. The roundhead behaves completely differently when there is no possibility of “falling underground.” This lizard literally turns into a dragon - an eared dragon, and then it immediately becomes clear why it received such a name.
When the lizard opens its hissing mouth, the enemy is exposed to numerous sharp teeth, which are not visible in a calm state. In addition, at the same time, the unusual folds of skin that dangled at the corners of the mouth expand, and large jagged ears appear on the sides. If not for the size of the lizard, it could definitely be mistaken for a dragon. For the winter (end of October), the roundhead hides in its shelter and goes into hibernation until February. In the second year, the animal reaches sexual maturity and in May-June it is time to take care of procreation. Each female lays eggs twice during the season, from 2 to 6 eggs at a time, burying them in the sand or simply leaving them in a hole. From the end of July, young individuals already appear, which can be distinguished by their creamy underparts, devoid of spots, while the underparts of adults are white, and in general the young are very similar to their parents.
Desert Mammals
Caracal
This is a desert cat. Easily kills antelope. The predator is able to do this not only with its powerful grip and dexterity, but also with its size. The length of the caracal reaches 85 centimeters. The height of the animal is half a meter. The color of the animal is sandy, the fur is short and soft. The ears have long awn tassels. This makes the caracal look like a lynx.
The desert lynx is solitary and active at night. With the onset of darkness, the predator hunts medium-sized mammals, birds, and reptiles.
The name caracal can be translated as “black ear”
Giant mole rat
A representative of the mole rat family weighs almost a kilo and is 35 centimeters long. Hence the name. The animal is blind because it leads a life similar to that of a mole. The desert dweller also digs tunnels in the ground. To do this, the animal is equipped with powerful claws and large teeth protruding from its mouth. But the mole rat does not have ears or eyes. Because of this, the animal’s appearance is intimidating.
Mole rats are desert animals that can be encountered by residents of the Caucasus and Kazakhstan. Sometimes animals are found in steppe regions. However, living underground, mole rats rarely appear above it. If this happens, the animals burrow back at lightning speed. Therefore, the habits of mole rats are poorly studied even by zoologists.
The mole rat has no eyes, it navigates by ultrasonic vibrations
long eared hedgehog
This is the smallest representative of the hedgehog family. In the desert, the animal runs the risk of overheating, which is why it has grown large ears. Unlike the rest of the body, they are naked. The open area of the skin releases excess heat into the environment. This happens due to the expansion of capillaries. Their dense network penetrates every millimeter of the hedgehog’s ears.
With a body length of 20 centimeters, the spines of the long-eared hedgehog extend by 2.5 centimeters. The color of the tips varies depending on the habitat of the mammal. Due to the coloring of the needles, the hedgehog is camouflaged among the surrounding landscape.
You can, of course, distinguish an eared hedgehog from a regular hedgehog by its large ears.
Manul
It usually settles in the steppes, but in the south of Turkmenistan it also lives in deserts. Outwardly, the manul resembles a long-haired domestic cat. However, her face is fierce. Due to the anatomical structure, a cat's face always looks unhappy. It is difficult to train a Pallas's cat. It's easier to have a caracal at home.
The ends of the Pallas' hair are white. The remaining area of the hairs is gray. As a result, the color of the animal looks silver. There are black stripes on the face and tail.
Manul is the rarest type of cat
fennec
Otherwise called desert forest. Among the red cheats, the animal is the smallest, and not red at all. Fennec fox color is sandy. The animal also differs in its ears. Their length is 15 centimeters. The purpose of wearing such large ears on a miniature body is thermoregulation, as is the case with the desert hedgehog.
Fennec ears are adaptations of desert animals that serve another function. Large sinks capture the slightest vibrations in the air. This is how the fox cub identifies reptiles, rodents and other small animals that it feeds on.
Fenech cats are often kept as pets
Dune cat
It lives in the deserts of northern Africa and central Asia. This is the first time the animal has been spotted in the sands of Algeria. The discovery dates back to the 15th century. Then a French expedition walked through the deserts of Algeria. It included a naturalist. He described a previously unseen animal.
The sand cat has a wide head with equally wide-set ears. Their shells face forward. The ears are large. There are some sort of whiskers on the cat's cheeks. There is dense fur even on the pads of the paws. This is a device that saves the skin of a predator from burns when walking on hot sand.
The sand cat is one of the most secretive animals
Meerkats
One of the few socially organized inhabitants of deserts, they live in families of 25-30 individuals. While some are getting food, others are standing guard. Rising on their hind legs, the animals inspect the surroundings for approaching predators.
Meerkats are desert animals located among the savannas of Africa. There, animals of the mongoose family dig underground passages, going 2 meters deep. They hide in holes and raise children. By the way, meerkats do not have courtship. Males literally rape females, attacking and taking when the chosen one is exhausted from the fight.
Meerkats live in clans in which each has a certain status
Pereguzna
Refers to mustelids. Externally, the animal resembles a ferret with large ears and a blunt muzzle. The color of the peregrine is variegated. Black spots alternate with beige and white.
The length of the saddle is 50 centimeters including the tail. The animal weighs about half a kilogram. Being small in size, the animal is a predator, settling in the burrows of its victims. At the same time, peregrines are excellent at climbing trees. The animals do this alone, uniting with relatives only during the mating season.
In the photo there is a re-dressing or bandaging
Jerboa
Rodents cannot be more than 25 centimeters in length. Most of it comes from a long tail with a brush at the end. The body of the animal is compact. The jerboa's paws are jumping, and the hand on the tail acts as a rudder in the air.
The fauna of the desert is complemented by not a single jerboa, but about 10 species. The smallest of them do not exceed 4-5 centimeters in length.
Jerboas have a large number of enemies, which negatively affects their life expectancy
Camel
In North Africa the animal is sacred. The fur of camels reflects light, saving the “ships of the desert” from the heat. Camels store water in their humps. Some animal species have two of them, while others have one. The filler is encased in fat. When there is a lack of water, it splits, releasing moisture.
When water supplies are depleted in the humps, camels unerringly find sources of moisture. Animals can smell them at a distance of 60 kilometers. Also, “ships of the desert” have excellent vision. Camels notice movements at a distance of a kilometer. Animals also navigate among the dunes using visual memory.
A camel's humps contain not water, but adipose tissue that can be converted into energy.
Addax
This is a large antelope. It reaches 170 centimeters in length. The height of the animal is approximately 90 centimeters. The antelope weighs up to 130 kilograms. The color of the ungulate is sandy, but there are white spots on the ears and face. The head is decorated with long horns curved in a large wave.
Of all the antelopes, the addax is best adapted to life among the dunes. In the sands, ungulates find sparse vegetation, from which they obtain not only nutrients, but also water.
Antelope addax
Dorcas
The Dorcas gazelle is small and slender. The color of the animal is beige on the back and almost white on the belly. Males have folds of skin on the bridge of their nose. The horns of males are more curved. In females, the outgrowths are almost straight and about 20 centimeters long. Males' horns reach 35.
The length of the most ungulate is 130 centimeters. At the same time, the animal weighs about 20 kilograms.
Features and habitat of the roundhead
Roundheads are a genus of lizards with small to medium body sizes. The main feature of the animal is its round head and flat body. Depending on the subspecies (there are approximately 40), the body length can be from 5 to 25 cm.
The head is medium-sized, short, oval-shaped in front. There are no ridges within the head and body compared to other relatives. The ear opening is hidden under skin folds.
The upper part of the head is covered with scales, the rest of the surface is smooth or partially covered with keratinized folds. Sometimes the protrusions form a cap, which is how the subspecies of the lizard is distinguished.
There are no pores in the back of the body in the thigh area. The tail is wide at the base and narrows significantly towards the end. The underparts are yellowish or orange with black stripes. It has the property of twisting into a multi-level ring, hanging over a flattened body. The toes of the hind paws have teeth (horny teeth).
Sandy roundhead
The roundhead lives in areas where there is no vegetation, in sands, clayey slopes and areas with fine gravel. The distribution area is southeastern Europe, Central Asia, the countries of the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, and Afghanistan.
Character and lifestyle of the roundhead
The lizard with a round head and shifty eyes cannot be confused with other sand dune specimens. She is friendly and curious by nature. It seems that nothing can escape her keen eye. The animal's ability to burrow into sand is admirable.
The round-headed lizard is diurnal. It’s pleasant to watch her habits: she either peacefully basks on the sand, then a second later she’s already burrowing between the grains of sand.
In this it is helped by special ski processes that help it quickly delve into the substrate. Completely buried in the sand, only the eyes and nostrils can peek out from above, so it is very difficult to see the reptile right away.
What does the roundhead do the rest of the time? Lizards are often busy exploring new territories, hiding from danger and looking for food. They gather in small groups, mostly young animals.
A characteristic feature of the animal is to adapt its external coloring to its habitat. The color can be different: yellow, gray, light or dark brown, fawn and so on.
Roundhead
The long-eared roundhead is the largest representative, reaching sizes of 11-20 cm. The color is sandy, gradually turning into gray. The abdomen is milky or white; there is a black spot in the chest area. The tail is curled at the end and covered in black. Leads a diurnal lifestyle, busy digging holes and searching for food.
This subspecies is territorial, capable of defending an area and other lizards. At a moment of danger, when it is impossible to hide, the long-eared roundhead takes a pose to intimidate. Spreads its paws wide, inflates its body, opens its mouth, the inside of the mucous membrane turns red. Can use its teeth or jump straight at the enemy.
Due to the fact that the “eared fish” has an attractive appearance, the lizard often ends up as a trophy for poachers. The interest is mainly monetary, because it can be sold profitably or mummified. Therefore, the long-eared roundhead is protected by many Central Asian countries.
The sandy roundhead is small in size and reaches a length of 10-15 cm. It lives in the steppe and sandy zones of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. This species is considered an isolated population.
The body is colored beige (sandy) and there are black dots all over the body. The lower part is white, the head is covered with ribbed scales. Along the edges of the body there are small spines that form an openwork fringe.
The roundhead is a representative of the “agape” family, small in size (12-15 cm). This subspecies has an almost smooth body surface, with ribbing appearing in places.
A distinctive feature is the sloping flattened head. The color predominates from dirty sand to all shades of gray. The lower part (abdomen) is white, the tail is lighter compared to the main color, the tip at the bottom is black. They live in Central Asia, Mongolia and China. They lead a sedentary lifestyle, stay awake during the day and burrow into a hole at night.
The spotted roundhead is a representative of a subspecies that is capable of burrowing into loose soil and living underground . This is facilitated by the ability of the paws on one side of the body to make movements in different directions.
Moloch is an unusual and rare specimen of roundheads . The body is flattened, reaching a size of 20-22 cm. The head is small, the paws are long, with claws. The main feature is that the entire body is covered with horn-like spikes of different sizes. At first glance, Moloch will seem like a miniature dragon.
Growths on the head and throughout the body give it a terrifying appearance. The coloring adapts to the habitat, surrounding temperature and physiology. The color can be bright yellow, all shades of brown and even red. Throughout the body there are typical inclusions of the same shades.
Moloch lives within the eastern regions of Australia, leads a diurnal lifestyle, and moves very slowly. It digs shallow holes and does not have the same burrowing speed as, for example, the “eared” one.
It feeds only on ants, swallowing them with its sticky tongue. Another unusual feature of the moloch is the absorption of water (rain or dew) through the pores in the scales and steep edges of the mouth. The photo of this special species of roundhead is simply mesmerizing.
Behavior
Representatives of this species live in areas with sandy soil. They give a clear preference to sands with sparse vegetation and the slopes of dunes. On the southern coast of the Kazakhlyshor salt marsh lives the subspecies Pg salsatus, which has adapted to survive in the salt marsh desert.
This is how they escape from predators and warm themselves in the evenings. Reptiles dig temporary shelters up to 30 cm long in summer, and in late autumn they bury themselves to a depth of up to 110 cm. Hibernation in most regions lasts until April. Each spiny roundhead acquires its own hunting grounds, which occupy about 100 square meters. m.
She moves around her domain at a rapid gallop, periodically freezing and vigilantly examining the surroundings. If necessary, it can jump in height by 15-20 cm.
Rhythmic curling of the tail signals its mood, readiness to reproduce and protect its food supply. Males are more territorial. Their areas are larger than those of females. Displaying the black and white stripes of the curled tail helps them avoid unnecessary conflict.
To a lesser extent, beetles, butterflies, bedbugs and flies are eaten. Occasionally, the roundhead menu is supplemented with young leaves and blossoming plant buds.
When hunting, the spiny roundhead relies on its eyesight. In the desert it often fails her. She mistakes wind-driven specks for insects and rushes after them.
Having caught something inedible, she spits it out and indignantly licks her labial shields with her tongue. Some of these unnecessary trophies are still swallowed, so stones and other small objects are sometimes found in her stomach.
Nutrition
The diet consists mainly of various insects. Preference is given to ants, flies and butterflies. Sometimes roundheads feed on small lizards and arachnids. Adults eat with appetite the flowers of plants that occasionally appear in the desert.
The reptile, noticing its prey, immediately rushes towards it and grabs it with its mouth as it runs. She licks ants with her sticky tongue. A hunting trophy that is too large breaks into small pieces and slowly swallows them. While eating, the predator remains alert and sensitively reacts to what is happening around.
Having finished its meal, the long-eared roundhead returns to its observation post. She receives the necessary moisture from food. When rare rains fall, the reptile does not hide, but, on the contrary, exposes its body to the raindrops with obvious pleasure.
Types of round heads
There are currently 13 species of roundheads in the CIS, of which 7 species are found in Kazakhstan. Two species are found in the Mongolian People's Republic. Other species, about 30, live in the deserts and steppes of Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, India and the Arabian Peninsula. But they have been poorly studied.
The most “famous” roundhead is the long-eared one (Phrynocephalus mystaceus). It is notable for the unusual folds of skin at the corners of its mouth, which can straighten out, giving the lizard the appearance of a monster with a terrible mouth. In addition, this is the largest roundhead (up to 20 cm including the tail), all the others are twice as small. Therefore, as well as due to other morphological features, the long-eared roundhead is sometimes classified as a separate genus. Like most desert inhabitants, the long-eared round-headed lizard is painted in sandy tones with a fine dark pattern; the lizard’s belly is white.
The long-eared roundhead is widespread in Kazakhstan. In Russia, its habitat is represented by a number of isolated populations. It is found within the foothills of Dagestan, the eastern part of Chechnya, Kalmykia, and the Astrakhan region.
The round-headed pommel (Phrynocephalus helioscopus) is widespread in Kazakhstan. It is distinguished by a particularly flat and wide body and a relatively short tail. This species has a spotted color, and the spots form a kind of cross-striped pattern. The body is usually covered with spines. There are always 2 small spots with pink and blue coloring on the neck. Some males may have more intense blue spots scattered throughout the body.
Takyr round head
The takyr roundhead is also common in Transcaucasia, southern Russia, Central Asia, Turkey, Iran, and Northwestern China.
The smallest representative of the genus is the sand roundhead (Phrynocephalus interscapularis), its body weight is only about two grams.
The roundhead (Phrynocephalus guttatus) is common in Central Asia, Kazakhstan and the northwestern part of China. In Russia, this species is found in Dagestan, Stavropol Territory and Kalmykia. The background color is sandy, but with dark transverse stripes and specks scattered along the back.
The pied roundhead (Phrynocephalus versicolor) is a common lizard in Mongolia, but in the former USSR the species is very rare, found in only a few places, most of which are located in Kazakhstan. It is included in the Red Book of this country. Its color is the same as that of the poker, but without colored spots on the neck. The motley roundhead lives on compacted substrates.
The reticulated roundhead (Phrynocephalus reticulatus) is similar to the spiny roundhead in color and size, but, like the mottled and roundhead, prefers biotypes with dense soil.
Habitat
The species' range is represented by a number of isolated populations, the distribution of which is entirely determined by the presence of massifs of shifting sands, but covers desert and semi-desert zones in the eastern Ciscaucasia (including foothills of Dagestan, Kalmykia and the eastern part of Chechnya), in the south of the Astrakhan region. in Kazakhstan, Central Asia, northeastern China, Iran and Afghanistan. The northern border of distribution from the Makhachkala region (Sarykum dune) in Dagestan rises to the northwest up to the Astrakhan sands inclusive, covers the entire Volga-Ural sands in the east and, rounding the Mugodzhar mountains from the south, then passes into the lower reaches of the Irgiz. To the east along the northern edge of the Muyun-Kum desert it reaches the southern coast of Balkhash and further into the Alakol basin.
The long-eared roundhead is a typical inhabitant of dunes and various types of weakly fixed sands with sparse shrub and herbaceous vegetation. The long-eared roundhead lives only in places with loose sand. These can be completely devoid of vegetation, real moving sands, in which, it seems, there is nothing living; and sand hills - dunes with single desert trees and shrubs at the base; and sandy plains with sparse shrubby and ephemeral vegetation; and deserted pastures with grass eaten away by sheep and sand crushed by hundreds of hooves. These roundheads can also be found in areas with dense soil, but only if there are real sands nearby. In suitable habitats it is a fairly common and conspicuous species. Sometimes it settles on roadsides and on the tops of strongly fixed dunes, where it forms isolated settlements.
Population and species status
Photo: What a twirly tail looks like
Overgrowing of sandy massifs leads to an annual decrease in the number of roundheads. In the wild, the lifespan of reptiles is 3-5 years. At home and in zoos, some individuals live up to 6-7 years of age. Good adaptation to specific living conditions makes creatures extremely vulnerable to their changes. While other species of amphibians easily get used to the expansion of human agricultural activity, mass construction, and the appearance of water in the desert, the spiny tails disappear irrevocably from such zones.
The spring settlement of the species is distributed into several age groups: one or two groups of young animals, three or four females and two or three groups of males. In general, the species is considered common with average abundance. For example, in Kalmykia there are 3-3.5 individuals per kilometer. A study was carried out on the territory of the Astrakhan region, during which it turned out that in an isolated area of 0.4 hectares, surrounded by conditions atypical for the species to avoid migration, in May 2010 the number of individuals encountered once was 21 units, and those encountered 6 times - 2.
Exactly one year later, the number of individuals encountered once was equal to 40, and those encountered 6 times - 3. But in September 2011, the number of lizards encountered once amounted to 21, and there were no more lizards encountered 5 or 6 times.
Natural enemies of fidgety creatures
Photo: Vertigo in nature
Lizards of this species are hunted by various snakes and birds, other amphibians - reticulated and lined foot-and-mouth disease, and mammals. Reptiles are caught by feral and domestic dogs. Being a small species, whirligigs constantly strive to grab larger animals. Since lizards communicate primarily through their tail, dropping it would be akin to numbness. Loss of vision would be fatal for reptiles, but the loss of a tail means the absence of any contact with relatives. In this regard, it is very difficult to meet an individual without a tail. You can pick them up without fear of autotomy.
The creatures can notice the enemy at a distance of 30 meters. The most insidious are the nocturnal predators. Some jerboas dig lizards out of their holes and eat them. Animals spend their entire lives in limited territories, where every bush and hole is familiar to them. Only natural enemies or natural disasters can drive them away from their usual habitat.
Vertigoths often do not completely submerge in the sand. They leave their heads above the surface and motionless watch everything that happens. If an enemy approaches, amphibians either burrow deeper into the sand or crawl out of their shelter and run away. Sometimes such a rapid jump can confuse even a determined predator.
