ANTARIKSA — Researchers don’t really understand the life of earless monitor lizards in Kalimantan, Indonesia. The species is the only known member of the Lanthanotidae family on earth. This means that researchers have not found other species that are similar to them to date.
The most recent ancestors of lizards called little dragons are thought to have diverged in the Cretaceous period (145 million to 66 million years ago). Here is what his biodata is:
– No: Earless monitor lizard (Lanthanotus borneensis)
– Residence: Kalimantan, near a river in a lowland rainforest
– Food: Earthworms, crabs and fish
– Why he is extraordinary: The earless monitor lizard is a dragon-like reptile so rare that it has been nicknamed the ‘Holy Grail’ (keystone species) of herpetology, the study of reptiles and amphibians.
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Earless monitor lizards grow to a length of 1.6 feet or 50 centimeters, with a slender body, small limbs, and a tail that can be used to grasp things. Its head does not have external ears, so it is called an earless monitor lizard. The lower eyelid, which is closed when underwater, can be transparent.
In 2014, the wildlife organization TRAFFIC said scientists still didn’t know much about the mysterious lizard. But they believe the animal’s adaptations are suited to an underground lifestyle.
According to a 2013 article in the Herpetological Review, earless monitor lizards spend their days burrowing under plants and rocks on rocky riverbanks. They come out at night to search for food on land and in water.
The dirt stuck to their scales is a camouflage system when they come out. It is thought they use their tails as anchors, wrapping them around rocks and roots to keep them from being swept away in floodwaters. They mate in water, with sessions lasting hours.
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According to Animal Diversity Web, the monitor lizard’s unusual appearance led scientists to think they were the missing link between snakes and lizards. However, this was later denied.
According to the Red List of Threatened Species, earless monitor lizards are endemic to Kalimantan. They are threatened by deforestation and the trade in wild animals for pets. Source: Live Science
2023-11-06 04:40:00
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