Boyd's forest dragon
| Boyd's forest dragon |
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| Scientific Classification |
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| Binomial Name |
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Hypsilurus boydii |
| Image Description |
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The Boyd’s forest dragon is a species of lizard known by the scientific name Hypsilurus boydii or Gonocephalus boydii.
Anatomy
The Boyd's forest dragon grow up to be about a half a meter. It has a unique set of sharp tooth like spikes under its chin. Its outer body has prominent flattened scales all over along the back, and on its neck it has greatly enlarged scales [2]. It has a yellow pouch underneath its chin, and with all these features it can practically blend in to its environment were ever it goes [3].
Reproduction
Mating and reproduction for the Boyd’s forest dragon will start in the early spring in a later age. From records it is said the each clutch the Boyd’s forest dragon has holds about 5 eggs. When this animal is in low lands with temperatures that are higher making their metabolic rate higher they will produce more clutches per season. Lizards that are higher elevation with colder temperatures produce one clutch in a year, but the clutch has more eggs. Nesting by the female has a specific technique. At first when they are ready to lay a clutch they will run around looking for a spot to lay it in. They will normally pick a spot with some sun light shining down. So sometimes it will be besides the road or in the woods if trees have fallen. Their nest is simple though, is a shallow hole that will have a thin layer of leaves and soil [4] .
Ecology
The Boyd’s forest dragon is restricted in a smaller area. It lives normally a little south from Cook town and south from Paluma near Townsville. The environment affects this animal in a more positive way due to its camouflage, and because of this strong and convincing camouflage it is unnoticed. But it has been noticed when it leaves tracks to its point where it is laying on the ground absorbing some of the heat radiating form the surface or when it is laying in the sun on the sides of the roads. This animal is known for their territorial actions. The male will normally have one or more female territories. They are also known to have two or more favored trees in their territory, and will return to them often [5]. Their diet will normally only be invertebrates [6].
Traits
A lot of reptiles will bask in the sun to get warm. The Boyd’s forest dragon will do this sometimes but doesn't normally. Most the time they don’t care and as the temperature changes they will let their body heat change. The only exception to this is when a female is pregnant she will go out and lay in the sun [7].
It spends most of it days on tree trunks about the height of your head, but when it does get down and about it moves around in an area about 100 meters. When someone or something approaches it on a tree it will simply move around to the other side [8].
References
- Anatomy John Sullivan, Ribbit Photography.
- Anatomy Daintree Wilderness Lodge, 2009.
- Ecology Chambers Wildlife Rainforest Lodges.
- Ecology Wikipedia, 19 January 2011 .
- Traits. Wild Facts, January 13, 2011.
- Traits Wikipedia, 19 January 2011 .
- Boyd’s Forest Dragon (Gonocephalus boydi) adrian, adrian's reptileworld
