Lizards News (6 articles)

Atlanta (July 16, 2009) —A study published in the July 17 issue of the journal Science details how sandfish—small lizards with smooth scales—move rapidly underground through desert sand. In this first thorough examination of subsurface sandfish locomotion, researchers from...

Published on 16 July 2009, 15:07

Categories: Lizards Lizard’s locomotion Physics Sandfish Scincus scincus

ANN ARBOR, Mich.—University of Michigan ecologists and their colleagues have answered a question that has puzzled biologists for more than a century: What is the main factor that determines a lizard's ability to shed its tail when predators attack?The answer, in a word: Venom....

Published on 25 March 2009, 10:27

Categories: Caudal autotomy Ecology Life sciences Lizards

The gecko Diplodactylus tessellatusFull Image (262.62K)Originally thought to be D. tessellatus, this is a new gecko speciesFull Image (248.79K) University of Adelaide research has discovered that there are many more species of Australian lizards than previously thought, raising new questions...

Published on 4 March 2009, 02:52

Categories: Ecology Genetics Life sciences Lizards

From geckos and iguanas to Gila monsters and Komodo dragons, lizards are among the most common reptiles on Earth. They are found on every continent except Antarctica. One even pitches car insurance in TV ads. They seemingly can adapt to a variety of conditions, but are most abundant in the...

Published on 3 March 2009, 18:47

Categories: Climate Global warming Lizards Tropical forests

A team of South African and Australian researchers has discovered that some young male lizards protect themselves from older males by pretending to be members of the fairer sex.The Augrabies Flat Lizard (Platysaurus broadleyi) – a star of Sir David Attenborough’s recent series Life in...

Published on 2 March 2009, 19:32

Categories: Lizards Zoology

Tracy Langkilde, Penn State assistant professor of biology, has shown that native fence lizards in the southeastern United States are adapting to potentially fatal invasive fire-ant attacks by developing behaviors that enable them to escape from the ants, as well as by developing longer hind...

Published on 5 February 2009, 02:45

Categories: Ecology Life sciences Lizards