teratornis's Favourites

Let's meet the most fascinating agamid in Sri Lanka!🇱🇰

*Sinhala- ගැට හොඹු කටුස්සා/කරමල් බෝදිලියා
*English- Hump-nosed lizard/Hump snout lizard/Lyre head lizard
*Scientific name- Lyriocephalus scutatus(Linnaeus, 1758)

This is the largest agamid lizard that endemic to Sri Lanka.This species widely distributed in wet and intermediate zones. Lives in canopy primary and secondary forests in Sri Lanka.When it feels something dangerous happening around,suddenly opens its bright red colour mouth and also males expand their dewlaps. They feed on earthworms,insects and ect. Sinharaja rainforest,Kanneliya rainforest are well known localties for this species and usually can be found around the water resources. A very CALMFUL,COLOURFUL and GORGEOUS agamid that can be found easily in Sri Lanka.But, the behaviors after feeling threatened are very SCARY!You can see well the sharp teeth and the red colour inside its mouth in this picture!Luckily,we observed this amazing creature for the very first time!

Check-
A Naturalist's guide to the Reptiles of Sri Lanka 2nd edition by Anslem de Silva & Kanishka Ukuwela(page35)

A study of behavior, habitat, distribution and ecology on Lyriocephalus scutatus (Linnaeus, 1758) in Sri Lanka
( https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318816051_A_study_of_behavior_habitat_distribution_and_ecology_on_Lyriocephalus_scutatus_Linnaeus_1758_in_Sri_Lanka )

Behavioral ecology and microhabitat use by Lyriocephalus scutatus (Linnaeus, 1758): A monotypic genus in Sri Lanka (Reptilia: Agamidae: Draconinae) with notes on the taxonomy
( https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236231204_Behavioral_ecology_and_microhabitat_use_by_Lyriocephalus_scutatus_Linnaeus_1758_A_monotypic_genus_in_Sri_Lanka_Reptilia_Agamidae_Draconinae_with_notes_on_the_taxonomy )

📷 ©Pasindu Dilshan|2021

I went outside to go for a walk, picked up one of my boots, and started to put it on. They're almost too small, so I had to do some wiggling to get my foot in. I often don’t wear socks in my shoes, which I think was a good thing in this case. My foot was most of the way in when it touched something furry. I froze, trying to figure out what it was. It didn’t move either. Then I yanked my foot back out and looked inside, and there was a little rodent in there! I pinched the top of the boot shut before it could escape, then called to my mom that I needed my camera right now and I probably shouldn’t come in the house because I was holding a boot with a rat in it. She brought my camera out and I took some adorable pictures before it ran back into the toe. Then I dumped it out and it ran away.

On 30.12.2021, I went on a trip to Riverstone ,Sri Lanka..... I studied about all the point endemic animals and got some informations from some university students about the bio diversity of the site before went there.....Actually ,it was a family trip.....Among all the cousins,I was the one and only one who wanted to see the point endemics or anyone that I would be interested....I went there around 1 p.m and searched everwhere that I could.... Lastly found this lovely and cool lizard..... After saw it ,I was very happy and I kept looking at it around 15 minutes .....So,I got few photos(Used NIKON P950) and suddenly started to rain there.....Then,I said good bye to this cool friend and started the hike again !!!!

This is the first Ceratophora tennentii that I saw and I love to observe these ones again in nearby future!!!!!

Pasindu Dilshan .

💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚🦎🦎🦎🦎🦎🦎🦎🦎🦎🦎🦎