Weird, Fun & Fascinating Facts about Lizards Part 2
By: Ralph & Tommy Turtle


Some skinks and geckos have eyelids. One example is the
Tokay Gecko. But like snake eyelids, they aren't movable;
the two lids have fused to form a clear "spectacle" which
sheds along with the rest of the skin.

Geckos have vocal cords which allow them to make sounds,
sometimes very loudly. They are the only known lizard
species that can make sound.

Horned Lizards or American Horned Toads squirt blood from
their eyes to repel predators. Muscles in the head constrict
and stop the blood from flowing out of the head, so blood
pressure builds in the head until vessels in the inner
corner of the eyes rupture and squirt blood up to four feet.


The "third eye" seen on the top of the heads of some lizards
such as the Green Iguana does have a lens and retina-like
structure that connects through nerves to the pineal gland
in the brain. It does not form images but it is light-
sensitive, and governs hormone production related to time
spent basking.

Herbivorous lizards conserve water in their bodies by
excreting excess salt from their blood streams through a
"salt gland" in their nasal passages. This is what produces
the crusty white stuff often sneezed out by iguanas.

The Basilisk and the Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris)
can run on their hind legs. When they are young, they can
even run on water.

The Basilisk lizard is also interesting in another area. It
will sleep at the far end of small branches that hang out
over a pond or lake in the rainforest, and if a snake
slithers up the branch to try to eat it, the snake's
movement will usually shake the lizard off the branch, and
into the water and safety.

The Flying Draco Lizards of India glide between trees using
membranes linking their front and rear legs, similar to the
"wings" of the Flying Squirrel. They come down to the ground
only during mating season and to lay their eggs.

The Chameleon has pigment-filled cells in its skin that
expand and contract according to the colors around them, as
well as to whether they are afraid, angry or in pain. They
even change color when they are sleeping, so if the light
changes around them, their color will change accordingly to
keep them camouflaged.

See Also:  Facts about Lizards Part 1


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