What kind of lizard has legs like plates?
There are 30 species of plated lizards, and the African plated lizard (also called the giant plated lizard) is one of the largest. It has a squat body, plate-like scales and powerful legs. When threatened, these lizards will hide inside the cracks of rocks and fill their lungs with air to wedge themselves in place.
How big is a giant plated lizard in South Africa?
The giant plated lizard is the second largest lizard species found in South Africa, after the monitor lizard, and they are known to attain a body length of approximately 690 mm. Giant plated lizards are rupicolous, which means that they live among rocky outcrops, mostly on the upper slopes of granite hills.
How to take care of a giant plated lizard?
It is a good-sized lizard that will usually become accustomed to captive conditions quickly. This means yours should eventually sit out and bask and not skitter away at the first sight of a human peering through the enclosure at it. And, if you are so inclined, pet giant plated lizards will often allow themselves to be regularly handled.
What’s the average life span of a plated lizard?
They are smart, spunky, and are cautious by nature. Their sleek scales and profile and beautiful coloring make them a popular choice for reptile keepers. They have an average life span of about 10 years, and it depends on the species of Plated Lizard you have as to the final adult size.
There are 30 species of plated lizards, and the African plated lizard (also called the giant plated lizard) is one of the largest. It has a squat body, plate-like scales and powerful legs. When threatened, these lizards will hide inside the cracks of rocks and fill their lungs with air to wedge themselves in place.
How long does a giant plated lizard live?
Giant plated lizards can live for eight to seventeen years in captivity. The giant plated lizard is widespread and generally common and therefore it was not considered to be threatened and no conservation actions were recommended in a recent assessment of reptiles found in South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland (Bates et al. 2014).
What kind of prey does a giant plated lizard have?
Giant plated lizards are preyed upon by snakes, some mammals and certain birds of prey. When in danger the lizard will slip into the nearest rock cavity or crevice and inflate its body, effectively wedging itself into the crevice or cavity and making it very hard for anything to dislodge it.
How did the giant plated lizard get its name?
The last part of the genus name ‘ saurus ’ is the Latin translation for the word ‘lizard’. The name ‘plated lizard’ comes from the bony plates found underneath the epidermis that encase the body in a bony body amour. Giant plated lizard (English), reuse-pantserakkedis (Afrikaans), uxamu (isiZulu), chamu (siSwati)
