PRACTICAL NOTE ON AGAMA LIZARD
PRACTICAL NOTE ON AGAMA LIZARD.
HABITAT
- Gardens
- Trees
- under stones
- walls
- ceiling
Reasons:
- Horny scales to reduce desiccation on land
- Two pairs of limbs to support the body and for movement on land
- Clawed digits to hold on to support or for climbing
Mode of reproduction:
- Sexual with internal fertilisation, oviparity with cleidoic eggs.
- Parental care
Feeding habit:
- Carnivorous (but not a carnivore)
Diet:
- Insects
State the sex
- Male
Reasons:
- Pre-anal pad present around the cloaca
- Relatively Bigger in size
- Brightly coloured
- Bright orange head
- More prominent nuchal crest
- More prominent gular fold
- Tail is blue at the base, orange or black in the middle and black at the tip
Details in the drawing
- The tail must be longer than half of the entire length
- Not less than 5 scales
- Scales must overlap
- Tail pointed at the tip
- 5 digits with claws
Biological Classification
Phylum Chordata
Class Reptilia
Reason:
- Skin is covered with dry, horny epidermal scales
- Have two pairs of limbs with clawed digits
- Have homodont dentition
- Absence of the external ear
Observable characteristics in the Agama lizard
- Skin is covered with dry, horny epidermal scales
- Have two pairs of limbs with claws
- Have homodont dentition
Adaptive features of the lizard in its habitat
- Clawed digits for holding onto the ground and for climbing
- Scales for protection against desiccation and mechanical injury
- Long hind Legs for fast movement on land
- Long tail for balancing when moving
Observable features that help in sexual behaviour
- Nuchal crest raised during courtship
- Gular fold is lowered during courtship
- Brightly coloured to attract females
- Pre-anal pad to provide attachment during mating
Adaptations for movement in the agama lizard
- Two pairs of legs lift the body off the ground while moving
- Clawed digits for holding onto the ground and for climbing
- Long hind Legs for fast movement on land
- Long tail for balancing when moving
Adaptations to escape danger
- Detachable tail
- Colour can blend with the environment
- Long hind legs for fast movement
Adaptations to regulate temperature
- Scales to reduce excessive evaporation of water in the dry season
- Basks in the sun in the morning
- Hides under a stone on a hot afternoon(weather)
- Remains inactive during cold weather (night)
Observable features in the ventral view of the male
- Gular fold
- Cloacal opening
- The male has a hemipenis at each end of the cloaca
- The male’s pre-anal pads provide firm contact.
Functions of the tail of the agama lizard:
- Balancing during movement
- Defence: Detachable tail to escape predation.
