Asian grass lizard, Six-striped long-tailed grass lizard
The Long-tailed grass lizard (Takydromus sexlineatus) is an arboreal species of lizard from Southeast Asia. These lizards are noticeable because of their slender appearance and their agile movements. They can also drop their tail and grow a new one when attacked.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
Ca
CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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InsectivoresAn insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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starts withThe Long-tailed lizard has a long tail and a white to cream-colored underbelly with a brown, green, or beige back, often adorned with brown stripes of different shades. It typically has a small head with a sharply pointed snout and a black or pink tongue. Its body is slightly elongated and thin with small pointy scales beneath the chin resembling a beard. Males have white spots on their sides, while females do not. Males have tails that thicken past the vent and are generally thicker than the female's down the entire length of the tail. The light stripes on the length of the body are yellower than the female's, which are more cream-colored.
These lizards occur in India, China, Thailand, and Indonesia. The subspecies ocellatus is found in areas such as southern China, north Burma, and north Malaysia. Asian grass lizards live at the edges of forests, grasslands, and in open plantations.
Long-tailed grass lizards are arboreal and diurnal lizards. They usually emerge in the early morning to bask in the sun. If a potential predator approaches they will first remain completely still, and then if the danger persists, they will flee to the safety of foliage. Both the males and the females use arm-waving gestures (similar to a front crawl swimming action), apparently to communicate with each other. Long-tailed grass lizards are very agile and fast. They have extremely fast reactions and can jump into the air to catch flying prey such as flies.
Long-tailed grass lizards are carnivores (insectivores) and feed on a wide range of insects.
Female Long-tailed grass lizards are oviparous and lay 2-3 eggs.
Asian grass lizards suffer from the loss of their habitat mainly due to the expansion of agriculture and they are often collected for the pet trade.
According to the IUCN Red List, the Asian grass lizard is locally common throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
