Armadillo Girdled Lizard
The Armadillo Lizard (Cordylus cataphractus) is a spiny-tailed lizard endemic to desert areas of southern Africa. It is also known as the Armadillo Girdled Lizard or the Armadillo Spiny-tailed Lizard. They can be a light brown to dark brown in coloration and are sometimes referred to with the common name of golden armadillo lizard. The underbelly is yellow with a blackish pattern, especially under the chin.This lizard has a distinctive defensive posture, in which it grabs its tail and curls into a ring. Its size ranges from 16 to 21 cm (6½ to 8½ in) in length. In South Africa, trade in Armadillo Lizards is illegal. Armadillo girdled lizard pictures are showed below.
This animal is named after the armadillo for its appearance and a similar defense mechanism. The lizard’s skin is covered with thick, squarish, protective scales along its back and stout spines on its neck and tail for making it awkward for predators, such as birds of prey to attack in defence.
They occur in scrub and rocky outcrops and hide in large cracks and crevices when hibernating for the winter. They live in family groups and the female gives birth to 1-2, though up to 4 is possible, young. The female may even feed her young, which is unusual for a lizard in that they rarely demonstrate parental care. They are one of comparatively few live-bearing lizards; they do not lay eggs like most other lizard species. The Armadillo Lizard lives mainly on small invertebrates such as insects and spiders and can live up to 25 years in captivity, slightly more in rarer cases.
Armadillo Lizards have an interesting defense, in that if frightened, they will grab their tail in their mouth and roll into a ball. This behavior is remarkably like that of the mammalian armadillo, which explains the common English name for these lizards. And just as it does for the mammal, this defensive posture enables the lizard to protect its soft underbelly from predators, exposing only its armored back.
Armadillo lizards display the typical lizard communicating skills of head-bobbing, tail-wagging and tongue-flicking, when confronting another unfamiliar armadillo lizard. These lizards have very powerful jaws, which can be very hard to open. When they do fight, they can clamp down on legs and toes, biting them off and drawing blood. They can bite down on the sides of the body and start rolling or twisting their opponent’s torso. This can cause internal damage to the animal.
Check Out More Cool Stories
You might also like:
Video Of The Day
17 Responses to “Armadillo Girdled Lizard”
Leave a Reply
Latest Coolness
Fix of Awesome – Literal Name, Rocking WebsiteWe take our internets seriously around here. If you spent 12 hours in front of a shiny screen with keys and a mouse for your... »
Google Science Fair – Best Competition For Young ScientistsDo you have in mind to become a scientist one day? Maybe your dream will come true with this awesome competition for young... »
Cosplayers Mingle With They Video Game CharactersThis is just hilarious. You know Cosplay that is short for costume play, and if you don't that is a type of performance art in... »
Typography Representing Star WarsWho would have thought that letters and signs in different fonts could made such cool art work? This time we're talking about... »
Freezing Ice Hotel Inspired by Tron:LegacyYou have probably heard about the new movie by name "Tron: Legacy". It is an American science fiction film released on December... »
Lifestyle
Astonishing Cherry Tree With Differently Colored Blossoms
Although this is not any kind of another amazing natural wonder, this beautiful tree with differently colored blossoms is definitely an attraction in the Portchester village, in Britain. In springs, w...
Forgotten Soviet Military Navy Repair Factory in Estonia
You are watching at photos of abandoned Soviet Military Navy repair factory in Estonia. It is placed at Arkula, near Tallinn. This is another one abandoned Soviet military building which once used to ...
Ephemicropolis – An Amazing Model of Futuristic City Made of Stacked Staples
Have you ever wondered about how New York or some other giant city could look in hundred years? If you have no idea about how it would look like, then, you should see the city model made by Peter Root...
Astonishing Cherry Tree With Differently Colored Blossoms
Although this is not any kind of another amazing natural wonder, this beautiful tree with differently colored blossoms is definitely an attraction in the Portchester village, in Britain. In springs, w...
Forgotten Soviet Military Navy Repair Factory in Estonia
You are watching at photos of abandoned Soviet Military Navy repair factory in Estonia. It is placed at Arkula, near Tallinn. This is another one abandoned Soviet military building which once used to ...
How Women Bands Looked Like a Few Decades Ago
It seems that women in past have been as same active in the world of music and stage arts as they are today. Despite the fact we think that human society was way more conservative about forty or fifty...
Incredible Car Fountain in Italy
This is amazing fountain. This fountain set up in Rome, Italy. Artist is Juan Galdeano, Spanish....
Amazing Architectures made out of Toothpicks
Stain Monro from New York was created these amazing architectures out of toothpicks. He is very talented, here are all the most famous buildings in the world. How long should it all done ??...
Google Science Fair – Best Competition For Young Scientists
Do you have in mind to become a scientist one day? Maybe your dream will come true with this awesome competition for young scientists all over the world. Google wants you from age 13 to 18 to submit y...
Copyright © 2007-2009 TheContaminated – Cool Pictures, Weird Pictures, Funny Pictures. All rights reserved | Theme by The Contaminated
does it spit fire?
i think it can’t spit fire. it’s not dragon.
One off the coolest animals, I’d love to have a small dragon like that
lolz..
its so small how big does it reaches
looks like a little pangolin! it’s cute
hey is amazing animal and i have interest for buy, is very dificult to buy the real one… there meany diferent class but only one make the ball…i need your help for buy one.. thanks…please
Am i be only english speaking persons?
where would you look to get one
armadilos always taste like cheese and chicken. Especially when they have gravy and teriaki sauce on them. Each day I eat an average of 24 armidilo legs. And I say it tastes just like chicken. The after taste is a creamy melt of cheese. Armidilos also taste great with lettuce and cow and elephant guts. It also should have lots of blood, veins and salt for extra flavour. My brother and his friend think that this is just a joke, but it snot.
Start cooking!
What are you waiting for?
Love from, fat@sexy.q
William,
Please read the first paragraph which clearly states: “In South Africa, trade in Armadillo Lizards is illegal.”
Like most wildlife, they do not make good pets either.
how much r they?……. im lookin forward to getting one….. where do u find them?
it is tooooooooooooooooo’oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo BEAUTIFUL. I WAS JOKING
Wow, Armadillo lizards are really cool! i really want one now but i dont think my roommates will really appreciate that they hate any type of small animals other than cats and dogs!
i have one i got it yesterday, and i think i might try to get another one from where i got it. I wanna try and breed them.
Ugh, don’t try to buy them. Trade in them is illegal for a reason! People who go out and buy these are hurting this species. If you love them, love them from afar until their population recovers. Or heck, help buy some land that’s their habitat for preservation purposes.
haha i have one but its only a year old