Abbott's crested lizard
| Abbott's crested lizard | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Iguania |
| Family: | Agamidae |
| Genus: | Gonocephalus |
| Species: | G. abbotti |
| Binomial name | |
|
Gonocephalus abbotti Cochran, 1922 |
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Abbott's crested lizard (Gonocephalus abbotti) is a species of lizard in the Agamidae family. It is endemic to Thailand.
Both the specific name, abbotti, and the common name are in honor of American naturalist William Louis Abbott.
Abbott's crested lizard is about 12 in (30 cm) in total length (including tail). The most distinctive anatomical features are the triangular bony crest on the face and the upturned nose. The colors of the dragon range from tan to green with light and dark dots on the body. The most common color is an olive shade of green. Sometimes, G. abbotti species have blue eyes. The dragon’s structure is compressed and sickle shaped. Its limbs are strong and clawed. It is designed well for catching prey, digging, and climbing. It has exceptional eyesight with small eye openings. The body scales are small. The tail is strong, but it does not grow back if it is broken and can break in defense from predators. The crest is complete from head to tail and remains an additional distinctive feature (Cochran, 1922; Kaplan, 2012). The throat pouch is also more developed in males (Dring, 1979, pp. 875–879). (Kaplan, 2012).
There are two other species that closely resemble G. abbotti including G. doriae and G. chamaeleontinus. In fact, Denzer and Mathey (1991) pointed out in a case study that G. chamaeleontinus was mistaken for G. abbotti (p. 310). Unlike G. chamaeleontinus, G. abbotti’s initial crest scales are smooth and lack spikes. G. chamaeleontinus has larger scales on the side of the body. G. doriae holds an even closer resemblance, sometimes being considered a subspecies of G. abbotti. The main difference is that G. abbotti has a lower dorsal crest in the neck area (Cochran, 1922).
Particular information concerning reproduction of G. abbotti is scarce. Gonocephalus dragons in general are seldom bred in captivity. The majority of the dragons are caught in the wild. Most of the Gonocephalus species can breed year around and are also considered territorial lizards. Therefore, it is recommended to only have one or a pair if kept as a pet. They are egg laying lizards producing approximately one to seven eggs. The better condition the female is in, the more eggs she can lay. They reproduce sexually and reach sexual maturity from the ages of two to three. It is typical in Gonocephalus that the male is larger than the female. Also, the male can be reddish-brown to green, whereas the females and juveniles are typically green (Langerwerf, 2006, pp. 105–109).
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