Sort Out The Theme

I'll let you sort out the theme of this post. The participants: a skink, a snake, a tapir, and an okapi.

Opportunistic Apex Predators

This beast, safely photographed through the plexiglass of its enclosure at the Territory Wildlife Park, is a proud member of the world's largest species of living reptiles: the saltwater crocodile.

They range from India through Indochina and down into New Guinea and Australia. Just how big do they get? Crocodylus porosus exhibits the most sexual dimorphism of any crocodilian, with the females being much smaller than the males. But males average 1,300-2,100 lbs and 13-18 feet. However, males have been known to reach 2,900 lbs and over 20 feet in length.

They are opportunistic apex predators and are able to eat literally any animal in their territory. Recent research indicates that they may also be more intelligent than lab rats. But then, these last two sentences could describe me, if given a large enough barbecue.

Photo source: Alan

Under Foot

Behold the common adder, the common viper, the European adder, Vipera berus, whatever you want to call it. They range from Western Europe all the way to the Far East. They aren't particularly dangerous or large. But what they lack in impressive stats, they make up for in shear frequency (many, many thousands of bites are recorded each year).

This reminds me of all the hysteria that gets whooped up whenever a new dread disease is discovered. It's not the exotic thing that'll get you. It's the thing under foot that will.

Photo source: Buster Lung

Draco Volans

Photo source: GearFuse.com
Prepare for one of the coolest names you'll ever find in biology: Draco volans. This means flying dragon in Latin, and the gliding lizards of Southeast Asia are the happy recipient of such an august name.

These lizards can't fly, but they come close. They come equipped with skin flaps attached to moveable ribs. These flaps are colorful, provide camouflage when closed, and allow them to glide from tree to tree (with the average male having a territory of one to three trees). Instead of ravaging castles and stealing away with the maiden fair, the Flying Dragon is the doom of ant and termite colonies. It's all about scale (pun intended).

Crocodilian Faces

Thought we could all use a nice spread of crocodilian faces. This way you can look in the mirror and get a nice shot in the arm of self confidence.

Photo source: Berry van Tuijl

Photo credit Angie

Photo credit Angie

Photo credit Nicholas Cheong

Charming Diminutiveness

Oh, little baby alligator snapping turtle. So charming in your diminutiveness , so endearing in your tinyhood. You'll grow to be massive. You'll wriggle you lure tongue and snap up fish. You'll be the dread of some pond or stream. In time, you'll even be able to snap off those fingers that are holding you. So much to look forward to.

Photo credit: Stephanie Velzy

Temminckii

Behold the armored head of North America's largest turtle. The alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) weighs in on average at 100 kg (220 lbs). But back in 1937 a 403 lbs turtle was reportedly found in the Neosho River in Kansas.

This snapper gets its Latin name from Coenraad Jacob Temminck, a Dutch zoologist. Being able to stick my name to the likes of this monster would have been the greatest accomplishment of my professional life. As for me, well, I'll have to settle for all the docs and spreadsheets that have me listed as the 'author'.

Photo source: Ezra Freeman

Green Vine Snake

Photo source: Jayanth Sharma
Behold the maw of the green vine snake (Ahaetulla nasuta). They are known in their native India for being very aggressive and ill-tempered. They make for poor pets, unless you don't mind them striking the glass ceaselessly (which some of you might).

Ever wonder how a photo like this was taken? Look below and get your answer. Of course, this begs the question of how the photo of the photographer was taken.

Crocodilian Contempt

I've long thought that if I died and came back as an animal, I'd want to be a crocodile. Not only have they survived several mass extinctions as a species, but they've also managed to survive humans, even becoming menaces and nuisances to them. And doing all that while spending most of your time floating or basking with no natural predators? That's a good life.

Photo source: Ramon

















A few factoids: the word crocodile comes from the Ancient Greek word: κροκόδιλος (crocodilos). Also, unlike other reptiles, they have a cerebral cortex and a four-chambered heart. Unfortunately, they are unable to stick out their tongues, since said tongue is kept in place by a thin membrane. They have to rely exclusively on their glare to convey the contempt they feel for you.

Lizards from Igor

I thought it high time I posted some photos from the magnificent Igor Siwanowicz. I always hesitate to post anything of his here, seeing as he can make something ugly and turn it into something you enjoy staring at.

Nevertheless, here are some of his photos of a chameleon (type?) and a crested gecko. You're welcome, lizard lovers.

Machismo

Photo source: Nicole LaBarre
I was raised on stories of alligator snapping turtles with their snake-like, lightning-fast strikes. So how can this guy be so nonchalant in his handling of a reptile that can snap his hand off?

Were the childhood stories told to me wrong? This is like finding out about the tooth fairy, only in a good way: there's one less monster on the planet.

Or is it simply that this man is a lot more macho than I am? Being a lifelong suburbanite who spends all day basking in the fluorescent lighting of my accounting office, that's not at all hard to do. Still, this knocks me down the manliness ranking once again. I'll need to go handle some freshly printed paper roughly, to run the risk of a paper cut, thereby restoring my machismo.

Blue and Red

I didn't believe it at first. Is the Mwanza Flat-headed Rock Agama (Agama Mwanzae) for real? Does Spiderman really have a reptilian cousin?

It seems that he does. This Sub-Saharan African lizard is becoming all the rage among pet owners. And even though I abominate fad pets (or rather, the fad itself), I must admit to feeling an urge to own one of these. Of course, it's only the male that sports such color. Show offs.

Thanks for the fad lizard, Ida.

Photo source: mpgoodey

Hippo Herd Crowd Surfing

Confrontations between hippos and crocodiles aren't a rare occurrence. Crocs want to eat young hippos, and the herd wants to stop that from happening.

In once such recent event in Tanzania, a crocodile was being faced down by the herd when they found him creeping up on their young ones. In a bid to escape the more aggressive members of the herd, he tried to scamper along the back of the hippos in his own real-world version of Hungry Hungry Hippos.


















It didn't end so well for the crocodile.





















Thanks for the link, Ida. I never thought it'd be a good idea to scramble across the backs of hippos. Now I know for sure.

Pink Malice

Albino alligators are rare in the wild. In fact, they've only been spotted in Louisiana, and an adult one has never been seen in the wild (the lack of pigment makes them easy prey for both predators and the sun). But there are about 50 albino alligators in captivity. Here's one them.

Mike Raiford took this photo at a zoo. Notice the albinism. Notice the evil in the eye. No, Mr. Alligator, the pink iris does nothing to mitigate the malice lurking in those depths.

Thanks for the photos, Mike.

Gratuitous Gators and Crocs

I thought you all could use a gratuitous spread of crocodiles and alligators. Whether you consider them 'living fossils,' the bane of Captain Hook, or a platform from which to launch a dazzling TV career, these creatures might one day offer up profound medical advances (how do these oft-wounded swamp dwellers heal so well?).

Until then, they'll continue to be objects of conservation and curiosity, nuisances on Floridian golf courses, and the inspiration for myriad logos and mascots. And, of course, the stuff of nightmares.

Another Scary Gecko

Gah! Another scary gecko. This one is definitely a leaf-tailed gecko, though really the tail isn't the most remarkable part of this lizard. The alien eyes for instance. This hissing mouth for another.

Photo source: POPFi.com



















Really, if you're trying to defend yourself, it doesn't help your jungle cred to be called a leaf-tailed anything. Especially not when your neighbors are called venomous blank, or army blank, or blank eater. Even a hissing blank is better.

Thanks for the photo, Ida.

Why So Sinister

Photo source: Dorthe Arve Olsen
Geckos are supposed to be comical and endearing. They adorn t-shirts and are they're mascots. There's something wrong with having a gecko look so sinister.

Any idea what kind it might be? Maybe a leaf-tailed gecko of some variety (hard to tell with the tail, leafy or not, not in the photo)?

Anyways, I'm off to go renew my automobile insurance.

UPDATE: According to Anonymous, this is a Uroplatus sikorae, a mossy leaf tailed gecko.

Disillusionment

This photo was taken at a crocodile farm in Bangkok. The wrestler looks like a nice enough guy, complete with a winning smile. So why, oh why, does the baser part of me wish so desperately for the crocodile to clamp down? What's wrong with me?

I was pondering this picture and trying to figure out why the crocodile was being so docile. Was it training? Tranquilizers? Then I saw the wad of cash in its mouth, and the illusion was dispelled. The curtain was pulled back, giving us a backstage pass on the operations. The crocodile's been bribed!

Grrr. I hate being disillusioned.

Photo source: Ben Visbeek

One-Footed Snake Frightens Woman

When an elderly woman in China awoke to the sound of something scratching in her room, she turned on the lights, fearing thieves. Instead, she was greeted with the freakish sight of a seemingly one-footed (completely developed, with all four claws) snake scrabbling its way along a wall. In a panic, she grabbed a shoe and beat the mutant snake to death.

Now, I normally don't post on (supposed) mutants or wanton death, but this creature, which she ended up preserving in alcohol, deserves some studying. It's too bad it's dead (though I can understand why the woman freaked out, what with having just woken up, the fear of thieves, and the sight of a snake clawing its way through my house...), but I'll be interested to hear what the scientists who now have the snake have to say once they've done an autopsy. This might be the beginning of the Invasion.

Photo source: Blame It On the Voices

















Any thoughts from any of you? It's a small snake, no thicker than your finger. I'm reminded of those images from the Everglades a few years ago of when a constrictor tried to swallow a caiman and burst at its midsection from the effort, leaving behind a double corpse that looked like a single freakish python-caiman beast.

UPDATE: Given some of the links that you folks have provided, it looks like my thoughts on this snake actually being a victim of its victim is most likely the case. Apply Occam's Razor and ask yourself which is more likely: that a snake grew a fully functional leg, or that a lizard's hind leg ruptured out of the snake's stomach. Vestigial legs, it would seem, never really develop into fully functional legs, which would lead me to believe that this isn't the snake's own leg. Also, regarding the apparent lack of a wound: remember that this specimen has been soaking in alcohol, which may have affected the appearance of the rupture.

Two more points: 1) it is often the case in instances like this that scientists, especially young or new scientists, like to apply their most arcane, newly-discovered knowledge before exploring more mundane possibilities. 2) It's looking like the application of the shoe to this snake put it out of its misery.

Thanks for the article, Moneca and James.

Turtle Rescue

Two points to make on this video: 1) Hats off to those who took the time to whisk this softshell turtle off to safety (or the cook pot, for all we know...), and 2) this is why you keep your fingers away from these aquatic hunters.

Thanks for the video, Ida.