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Scales may be piliform (hairlike) or flattened. The body or "blade" of a typical flattened scale consists of an upper and lower lamella with an air space in between. The surface towards the body is smooth and known as the inferior lamella. The upper surface, or superior lamella, has transverse and longitudinal ridges and ribs.
Most species are medium-sized among monitors, with adults measuring 1 to 2 m (3 ft 3 in to 6 ft 7 in) in length and rarely exceeding weights of 10 kg (22 lb). [6] In contrast, modern perenties can grow to lengths of 2 m (6 ft 7 in) and, although being exceptionally lean among large lizards, still exceeds weights of over 17 kg (37 lb), easily ...
Argentine black and white tegu lizards are typically hatched at the beginning of spring. When they hatch they are about ten grams and grow up to eight kilograms within four or five years, experiencing a nearly eight-hundred-fold increase in body size. During this time their diet changes from insects to small vertebrates, eggs, carrion, and fruits.
An adult salamander generally resembles a small lizard, having a basal tetrapod body form with a cylindrical trunk, four limbs, and a long tail. Except in the family Salamandridae, the head, body, and tail have a number of vertical depressions in the surface which run from the mid-dorsal region to the ventral area and are known as costal ...
Some lizards, particularly iguanas, have retained a photosensory organ on the top of their heads called the parietal eye, a basal ("primitive") feature also present in the tuatara. This "eye" has only a rudimentary retina and lens and cannot form images, but is sensitive to changes in light and dark and can detect movement.
Komodo dragon feeding on a carcass, San Diego Zoo (video clip) Komodo dragons have long been sought-after zoo attractions, where their size and reputation make them popular exhibits. They are, however, rare in zoos because they are susceptible to infection and parasitic disease if captured from the wild, and do not readily reproduce in ...
Video of leopard gecko shedding skin. All geckos shed their skin at fairly regular intervals, with species differing in timing and method. Leopard geckos shed at about two- to four-week intervals. The presence of moisture aids in the shedding. When shedding begins, the gecko speeds the process by detaching the loose skin from its body and ...
In many cases the cast skin peels backward over the body from head to tail, in one piece like an old sock. A new, larger, and brighter layer of skin has formed underneath. [ 5 ] [ 7 ] An older snake may shed its skin only once or twice a year, but a younger snake that is still growing may shed up to four times a year.