Red headed rock agama(agama agama)A big ,rock dweling lizard ,the males are
vividly coloured,with bright orange heads and blue bodies.The head is large and
triangular;males have a small crest on the nape.The eye is fairly large;and the
ear opening is obvious.the body is depressed,legs strong and mascular toes long
and thin . the tail is laterlly compressed ,tapering smoothly ,roughly 60% of
total length.
Displaying males havea vivid red-orange or
orange –yellow head;the chin may be orange or pink.the body is blue ,often with a pale vertabal stripe that
tapers posteriorly.Non displaying male look dull brown, with faint darker
crossbars and green /yellow head speckles.Female and juveniles are brown , with
green head speckling ,vague dark crossbars and vertebral stripe of irregular
subrectangular markings;there is often a striking bright red or orange patch where the upper
limb s touch the flank.wide speard in
coastal thickets and woodland moist and dry savannah and semi desert from sea
level to 2200 m altitude ,although most common below 1500 m .absent in areas
without rock outcrops or big trees.
A diurnal, rock dwelling lizard, also lives
on big trees, utilises buildings and walls, where dense colonies may form due
to the abundance of suitable site and refuge, and lives in structured colonies
with a dominant male, which will bask in a prominent spot. The female lay eggs,
and mostly lays them at the start of the rainy season but may also lay to
coincide with unexpected storms. The eggs are buried in a suitable hole or
loose soil which are incubated about 50-60 days.
The diet includes a wide range
of insects; they are very fond of ants and may spend long hours beside ant
trails, licking up the passing insects. They also take plant materials; grass, flowers
and fruits .Mongoose have been seen digging up eggs clutches; the adults are
often taken by small birds of pray and snakes; predation on this species by red
spitting cobra has been seen in Ethiopia.
JNK- kenya safari
Hope Mission Safaris
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