User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK

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DYK 1

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/1

... that despite the destruction of its forest habitat, the Angel's Chameleon has adapted to life near roads and villages?
... that twenty-six U.S. states have an official reptile?
... that the speed of the red whip snake enables it to feed largely on lizards?
... that Acteosaurus tommasinii, a species of aquatic lizard from the upper Cretaceous is similar to mosasauroids and modern snakes?
... that during rainfall, the desert lizard Phrynocephalus versicolor adopts a bottom-up, head-down stance in order to trickle water towards its mouth?

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DYK 2

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/2

... that Brookesia ambreensis, B. bekolosy, B. bonsi, B. brygooi, B. confidens, B. exarmata, B. griveaudi, B. lambertoni, B. lineata, B. lolontany, B. nasus, B. therezieni, B. thieli and B. valerieae are all species of chameleon endemic to Madagascar?
...that the blood of the skink Prasinohaema virens is bright green, due to an accumulation of the bile pigment biliverdin?
... that the Fiji government claims the entire U.S. zoo population of Fiji Banded Iguanas (pictured) are descended from illegally smuggled animals?
...that about 22% of all reported species of mammals in Colombia are endangered or critically endangered?
... that the limestone quarries near Ein Yabrud in the Judean Mountains have produced the only fossils for the extinct snakes Pachyrhachis and Haasiophis?

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DYK 3

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/3

... that the East Asian banded red snake can harbour tapeworms and eating its raw meat may lead to parasitic infections?
... that eggs of an Oceanic Gecko have a long incubation period and may take up to 115 days to hatch?
... that the sex of an East Canary Gecko is determined by the temperature at which the egg is incubated?
...that the San Francisco garter snake is an endangered species capable of digesting toxic newts but is not found in San Francisco?
...that high levels of ultraviolet colors on the neck of a male Platysaurus broadleyi, a type of lizard in the Cordylidae family, indicate dominance over other males?

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DYK 4

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/4

...that the Black Spiny-tailed Iguana (pictured) of Central America is the world's fastest lizard, being clocked at 21.7 miles (34.9 km) per hour?
... that the red-naped snake is a small, venomous snake and is listed as threatened in Victoria?
...that the stock for the captive breeding program of the Galapagos Land Iguana descended from iguanas which William Randolph Hearst translocated from Baltra Island to North Seymour Island in the 1930s?
... that Ankarafantsika National Park in Madagascar is home to the rhinoceros chameleon and the greater big-footed mouse?
...that the Western Blue-tongued Lizard displays its tongue to frighten off predators?

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DYK 5

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/5

... that the bite of the colourful Collett's snake can lead to rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure?
... that Meller's Chameleon (pictured) catches insects and birds 50 cm (20 inches) away with its tongue?
...that a single raccoon reduced the entire population of White Cay iguanas to 140 males and 10 females in one year?
... that the Bahamian Pygmy Boa Constrictor can voluntarily bleed from its eyes, mouth and nostrils?
... that the East Bay Vivarium is the oldest and largest retail vivarium in the United States?

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DYK 6

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/6

... that the Late Cretaceous madtsoiid snake Sanajeh preyed on hatchling sauropod dinosaurs at nesting sites in India?
... that the American minister George Went Hensley taught that Christians should eschew baseball and embrace venomous snakes?
... that Wilmer Tanner (pictured with a tiger trophy), born 1909, described at least fifteen new species or genera?
... that the Greek rock lizard (pictured) often has two blue spots above the shoulder?
... that the Mexican kingsnake is sometimes killed because it is misidentified as a venomous coral snake?

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DYK 7

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/7

... that the lizard Trachylepis maculata is known only from three specimens of doubtful provenance collected in the 1800s?
... that the rough-scaled sea snake is highly venomous and every scale on its body is adorned with a spine?
... that Tom Crutchfield was instrumental in producing the first captive-bred albino Burmese pythons?
...that although the green anaconda is the modern world's largest snake at up to 9 m (30 ft) long and 227 kg (500 lb), the extinct Titanoboa could be up to 12.8 m (42 ft) long and 1,135 kg (2,500 lb; 1.1 long tons)?
... that apart from eating smaller lizards and amphibians, the Central American coral snake also feeds on other snakes?

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DYK 8

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/8

... that the Honduran milk snake's color resemblance to the coral snake, known as Batesian mimicry, helps protect it from potential predators?
... the Cape Spinytail iguana coexists with the giant San Esteban Chuckwalla on San Esteban Island contrary to predictions of ecological niche theory?
... that the East Bay Vivarium is the oldest and largest retail vivarium in the United States?
...that the entire population of Exuma Island Iguanas on Leaf Cay in the Bahamas was translocated to Pasture Cay in 2002 in an effort to protect the species?
...that the saliva of a common garter snake may be toxic to amphibians and other small animals?

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DYK 9

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/9

... that the Angel Island Chuckwalla, an Iguanidae species, was considered such an important food item to the Seri people that they translocated the species to islands within the Sea of Cortés?
... that the western three-toed skink is sometimes persecuted because it is mistakenly thought to be venomous?
... that both the Canopy Chameleon of Madagascar and the Mayotte Chameleon of the Comoros Islands have been exploited as export commodities?
... that Varanus albigularis (pictured), a species of monitor lizard found in southern Africa, may be able to count as high as six?
...that the range of Nelson's Milksnake (Albino specimen pictured) from Mexico is linked to watercourses, and that it was thought to be the same subspecies as the more common Sinaloan Milksnake until 1978?

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DYK 10

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/10

... that the Balkan whip snake hibernates in winter, with several snakes sometimes sharing a single site?
... that the Crested Chameleon (pictured) can be found over 1,000,000 square kilometres (390,000 sq mi) in Africa?
... that the Trioceros laterispinis can only be found in one mountain range in the Eastern Arc Mountains?
... that the recently discovered smallest snake in the world, Leptotyphlops carlae (pictured), is thought to be near the evolutionary limit of how small any snake could be?
... that the Plated Leaf Chameleon is sometimes kept as a pet?

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DYK 11

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/11

... that Wilmer Tanner (pictured with a tiger trophy), born 1909, described at least fifteen new species or genera?
... that biologist Robert C. Stebbins published research on the sidewinder rattlesnake?
... that Anatolian rock lizards on the island of Icaria have bolder, higher-contrast markings than those from elsewhere in its range?
... that the Antimena Chameleon of Madagascar is considered a vulnerable species due to massive forest clearing?
... that a gecko from the British Virgin Islands called the Virgin Islands dwarf sphaero (pictured) is nearly as small as a U.S. dime and weighs at most 0.15 g (0.0053 oz)?

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DYK 12

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/12

... that Lilford's wall lizard acts as pollinator for some plants endemic to the Balearic Islands?
... that the extinct monitor lizard Ovoo gurvel has "mystery bones" in its skull?
... that in local New Guinea folklore, the magic-man sends the Papuan black snake to kill enemies?
... that Brookesia micra (pictured on a match head) is the smallest known chameleon?
... that the Belalanda Chameleon is one of only five Critically Endangered reptiles?

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DYK 13

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/13

... that the diporus subspecies of the Bothrops neuwiedi pitviper is one of the main causes of snakebite injury in Argentina?
... that the venom of the Beaded Lizard (pictured) has been found to contain several enzymes useful in the manufacturing of drugs to treat diabetes?
... that some populations of Carbonell's wall lizard inhabit oak woodland, and others sand dunes?
... that Kotschy's gecko climbs well despite not having adhesive pads on its toes?
... that Lycodon chrysoprateros, a snake species endemic to the Philippines, is considered critically endangered because its range is only 52 square kilometres (20 sq mi)?

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DYK 14

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/14

... that the snake Philodryas baroni emits a foul-smelling substance from the cloaca when frightened?
... that the worm lizard Amphisbaena ridleyi, isolated on remote Fernando de Noronha, is known for eating snails and for climbing trees to drink nectar from the flowers?
...that goanna oil was sold amongst early European settlers of Australia as a panacea much like snake oil was in the Old West?
... that the Mangrove monitor possesses salt-excreting nasal glands, which enabled them to reach new islands and aided in its dispersal across thousands of miles throughout the South Pacific?
...that Crotalus tigris has the highest toxicity of venoms among rattlesnakes, even though it has a low venom yield?

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DYK 15

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/15

... that the chameleon Furcifer nicosiai has only been found in the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park?
... that Dwyer's Snake is only weakly venomous and coils into a ball when threatened?
... that Colombia is home to almost 300 different species of snake?
...that the famous horny toad of North America is not an amphibian but a reptile officially known as the Short-horned Lizard?
... that the Namib sand gecko spends the day underground, emerging at night to feed on small arthropods?

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DYK 16

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/16

... that Morelia spilota spilota, the Diamond python, of East Gippsland live at the highest altitude of any python?
... that Dubois' seasnake is one of at least seventeen sea snake species living in the Coral Sea, and has the world's most toxic sea snake venom?
... that Brookesia minima may be the smallest species of chameleon?
... that despite being found over an area of 10,000 square kilometres (3,900 sq mi), Petter's Chameleon is a Vulnerable species?
... that the extraction of rosewood is the major threat to the Naturelle Leaf Chameleon?

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DYK 17

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/17

... that the skink Brachymeles bonitae has tiny legs and a variable number of toes?
... that in 2007, three specimens of the Caspian whipsnake were found in Galați County, the first in Moldavia (eastern Romania) since 1937?
... that the warty chameleon may be indistinguishable from the Malagasy giant chameleon in the field?
... that the Late Cretaceous madtsoiid snake Menarana had several adaptations for head-first burrowing, but its large size may have made burrowing difficult or impossible?
...that a Lesser Caymans iguana was the longest living Cyclura lizard ever at thirty-three years?

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DYK 18

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/18

...that male Western fence lizards have blue bellies?
... that Obamadon was an extinct lizard that was named after President Barack Obama as a tribute to his "role model of good oral hygiene for the world"?
...that a Lesser Caymans iguana was the longest living Cyclura lizard ever at thirty-three years?
... that reports of "lizards with two tails" on Fernando de Noronha in the Atlantic Ocean may have been based on Trachylepis atlantica (pictured)?
... that forest degradation and illegal exports threaten the survival of the Rainforest Chameleon?

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DYK 19

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/19

... that biologist Robert C. Stebbins once dosed Galápagos lava lizards (pictured) with radiation and tracked them with a Geiger counter?
... that femoral pores are a part of a secretory gland found on the thighs of certain lizards which release pheromones to attract mates or mark territory?
... that Italian Wall Lizards (pictured) on a Croatian island developed significant behavioral and morphological changes over the course of 36 years, which has been described as "rapid evolution"?
...that the Olive python, Australia's second largest snake, can eat prey as large as a wallaby?
...that the skink Chalcides colosii was once considered a subspecies of another species, Chalcides ocellatus (named for its ocelli), despite the fact that C. colosii has no ocelli?

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DYK 20

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/20

... that Meller's Chameleon (pictured) catches insects and birds 50 cm (20 inches) away with its tongue?
... that venom is thought to have had a single origin in the evolutionary history of snakes?
... that Blanc's Leaf Chameleon is threatened by slash-and-burn?
... that jewelled chameleons are threatened by the burning of their grassland habitat?
...that the Scarlet King Snake can be distinguished from the Coral Snake by the mnemonic "red and yellow, kill a fellow" and "red and black venom lack"?

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DYK 21

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/21

... that mole snakes can inflict serious bite wounds, but nonetheless are said to make good pets?
... that one of the few cases of poisoning by the Montpellier snake occurred when someone stuck his finger into the snake's mouth?
...that the Flying Dragon is a lizard that has skin membranes which it uses to glide distances over 7 metres?
... the San Esteban Chuckwalla can exceed two feet (61 cm) in length, making it the largest member of its genus, and a textbook example of insular gigantism?
...that Ricord's Iguana (Cyclura ricordi) of Hispaniola is the only known species of rock iguana to coexist with the Rhinoceros Iguana (Cyclura cornuta)?

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DYK 22

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/22

... that the Plains Garter Snake (pictured) is one of the most cold-tolerant snakes and often emerges from hibernation to bask on sunny winter days?
... that the day gecko Cnemaspis adii was first discovered in 2015 at the World Heritage Site of Hampi?
...that the extinct marine reptile Kaganaias is the only ancient aquatic scaled reptile to be found in Asia?
... that the Carpet Chameleon can change colour according to its need to warm up or its mood?
... that the Iberian rock lizard is often found above the tree line in cold, mountainous areas?

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DYK 23

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/23

...that the largest organism in the world is a honey fungus which covers more than 3.4 square miles (8.9 km²) and is thousands of years old?
... that Mertens' Water Monitors are threatened by poisoning from eating Cane Toads?
...that pit vipers and some boas and pythons have specialized facial pits for sensing infrared radiation?
... that the endangered Decary's Leaf Chameleon can be found over an area of 1,300 square kilometres (500 sq mi)?
... that the underparts of the male Sicilian wall lizard (pictured) may be suffused with orange, pink or red during the breeding season?

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DYK 24

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/24

...that the Lesser Antillean Iguana (pictured) uses a nasal salt gland to rid its body of excess potassium from its herbivorous diet?
... that the Isthmian Alligator Lizard, native to Costa Rica and Panama, was not seen for 50 years?
...that a trio of pet Mexican Spinytailed Iguanas released on Gasparilla Island, Florida by a resident in the 1970s has led to a current population explosion of over 12,000 lizards?
... that there are two colour forms of the sharp-snouted rock lizard and both provide camouflage on the limestone cliffs on which they live?
... that the Fiji Crested Iguana (pictured) was discovered when a scientist saw the lizard in the 1980 film Blue Lagoon?

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DYK 25

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/25

... that the mossy leaf-tail gecko (pictured) of Madagascar possesses dermal flaps which disguise its outline?
... that the Discovery Channel special Eaten Alive did not actually feature anyone being eaten alive?
... that young Iberian wall lizards sometimes have blue tails?

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DYK 26

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/26

... that a fossil of the extinct monitor lizard Saniwa preserves cartilage, scales, and even a wind pipe?

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DYK 27

User:Abyssal/Portal:Lepidosauria/DYK/27

... that Conolophus rosada, a newly described species of iguana, diverged some 5.7 million years ago, making it among the oldest incidents of evolutionary divergence recorded in the Galápagos archipelago?

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