View allAll Photos Tagged coldblooded
Cuiaba River
The Pantanal
Brazil
South America
A flutter of butterflies basking on a log near the shore of the Cuiaba River. Another name for more than one butterfly is a called a Kaleidoscope. These are only two names for a group of butterflies, there may be more.
Butterflies are cold-blooded, meaning they cannot regulate their own body temperature. As a result, their body temperature changes with the temperature of their surroundings. If they get too cold, they are unable to fly and must warm up their muscles in order to resume flight. Butterflies can fly as long as the air is between 60°-108° F, although temperatures between 82°-100° F are best. If the temperature drops too low, they may seek a light colored rock, sand or a leaf in a sunny spot and bask. Butterflies bask with their wings spread out in order to soak up the sun's heat.
We came across this stationary Queen butterfly early one morning at Circle B Bar Reserve near Lakeland, Florida. Butterflies are coldblooded and require sunshine to warm their muscles in order to fly. It wingspan measures about 80-85 cm.
The non-venomous eastern ribbonsnake slithered everywhere in Canada about 5,000 years ago, when the temperatures were balmier. But when the climate cooled, two distinct populations diverged: Great Lakes and Atlantic. The Great Lakes population resides in Ontario and has been listed as of special concern while the Atlantic population is listed as threatened. They are related to garter snakes. I was fortunate to come across this tiny snake on my hike in a park since it's not a common snake. Garter snakes are more prolific.
Cuiaba River
The Pantanal
Brazil
South America
The green iguana (Iguana iguana), also known as the American iguana, is a large, arboreal, mostly herbivorous species of lizard of the genus Iguana. It is native to Central, South America, and the Caribbean. The green iguana ranges over a large geographic area, from southern Brazil and Paraguay as far north as Mexico and the Caribbean islands.
They have been introduced from South America to Puerto Rico and are very common throughout the island, where they are colloquially known as gallina de palo and considered an invasive species; in the United States feral populations also exist in South Florida (including the Florida Keys), Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.
A herbivore, it has adapted significantly with regard to locomotion and osmoregulation as a result of its diet. It grows to 1.5 meters (4.9 ft) in length from head to tail, although a few specimens have grown more than 2 metres (6.6 ft) with bodyweights upward of 20 pounds (9.1 kg).
Green iguanas use "head bobs" and dewlaps in a variety of ways in social interactions, such as greeting another iguana or to court a possible mate. The frequency and number of head bobs have particular meanings to other iguanas. Green iguanas are hunted by predatory birds.
Green Iguanas are primarily herbivores, with the reptiles feeding on growing shoots of upwards of 100 different species of plant. In Panama one of the green iguana's favorite foods is wild plum, Spondias mombin. - Wikipedia
This is a macro image I captured some years ago, but for various reasons, mainly technical, I've only just edited. The image shows the Chameleon using it's prehensile tail to cling onto the branch.
Galapagos Islands
Off The Coast Of Equador
South America
Santa Fe Island
The Barrington Land Iguana or Santa Fe Land Iguana (Conolophus pallidus) is a species of lizard in the Iguanidae family. It is one of three species of Conolophus. It is endemic to Santa Fe Island in the Galapagos.
The Barrington Land Iguana is similar in every detail to the Galapagos Land Iguana except that the Barrington Island Iguana is paler yellow in color with a longer more tapered snout and more pronounced dorsal spines. The Barrington Land Iguana grows to a length of three feet with a body weight of up to twenty-five pounds.
Being cold-blooded, they absorb heat from the sun basking on volcanic rock and at night sleep in burrows to conserve their body heat. These iguanas also enjoy a symbiotic relationship with the island's finches; the birds remove parasites and ticks providing relief to the iguana and food for the birds.
Barrington Land iguanas are primarily herbivorous, however some individuals have shown that they are opportunistic carnivores supplementing their diet with insects, centipedes and carrion. Because fresh water is scarce on the islands it inhabits, the Land Iguana obtains the majority of its moisture from the prickly-pear cactus that makes up 80% of its diet: fruit, flowers, pads, and even spines. During the rainy season it will drink from available standing pools of water and feast on yellow flowers of the Genus Portulaca. Listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. - Source Wikipedia
The green tree python is not endangered. They eat mostly small mammals. There are several varieties of this snake -- some have less or more white/yellow spots scattered on their green body. Toronto Zoo. Texture overlay added to reduce the glare of the overhead heat lamp.
Cuiaba River
The Pantanal
Brazil
South America
The green iguana (Iguana iguana), also known as the American iguana, is a large, arboreal, mostly herbivorous species of lizard of the genus Iguana. It is native to Central, South America, and the Caribbean. The green iguana ranges over a large geographic area, from southern Brazil and Paraguay as far north as Mexico and the Caribbean islands.
They have been introduced from South America to Puerto Rico and are very common throughout the island, where they are colloquially known as gallina de palo and considered an invasive species; in the United States feral populations also exist in South Florida (including the Florida Keys), Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.
A herbivore, it has adapted significantly with regard to locomotion and osmoregulation as a result of its diet. It grows to 1.5 meters (4.9 ft) in length from head to tail, although a few specimens have grown more than 2 metres (6.6 ft) with bodyweights upward of 20 pounds (9.1 kg).
Green iguanas use "head bobs" and dewlaps in a variety of ways in social interactions, such as greeting another iguana or to court a possible mate. The frequency and number of head bobs have particular meanings to other iguanas. Green iguanas are hunted by predatory birds.
Green Iguanas are primarily herbivores, with the reptiles feeding on growing shoots of upwards of 100 different species of plant. In Panama one of the green iguana's favorite foods is wild plum, Spondias mombin. - Wikipedia
Island of Madagascar
Off The East Coast of Africa
Palmarium Reserve
The Parson's chameleon (Calumma parsonii) is a large species of chameleon that is endemic to isolated pockets of humid primary forest in eastern and northern Madagascar.
A long-lived species, C. parsonii may not reach sexual maturity until they are 3 - 5 years of age and may live to be more than 20 years old. C. parsonii are native to the primary rainforests of the elevated eastern area of Madagascar, up to an altitude of about 7,000 feet. However, their range extends all the way down to the eastern coast, where trade winds bring moisture ladden air to the land.
Parson's are very stationary animals. Adults may go for long periods without moving except to eat, drink, mate or deficate. They also do not spend much time basking, like many other true chameleons. They will, however, sit in the sun for short periods and slightly flatten one side of their body toward the sun. These sunning sessions are rarely more than 10 - 15 minutes long and usually take place early in the morning as soon as sun is available.
Near threatened according to the IUCN red list. The loss of humid forest, mainly through conversion from slash-and-burn agriculture but also due to logging, is a threat to this species. Much of the habitat of this species is extremely fragmented, and small forest fragments are unlikely to be viable to ensure persistence of this large chameleon that occurs at low densities. – Wikipedia
McKee Botanical Garden
From Wikipedia - The roots of lotus are planted in the soil of the pond or river bottom, while the leaves float on the water's surface or are held well above it. The flowers are usually found on thick stems rising several centimeters above the leaves. The leaf stalks (petioles) can be up to 200 cm (6 ft 7 in) long, allowing the plant to grow in water to that depth,[6] and a horizontal spread of 1 m (3 ft 3 in).[7] The leaves may be as large as 80 cm (31 in) in diameter, while the showy flowers can be up to 30 cm (12 in) in diameter.[8]
Researchers report that the lotus has the remarkable ability to regulate the temperature of its flowers to within a narrow range just as humans and other warmblooded animals do.[9] Roger S. Seymour and Paul Schultze-Motel, physiologists at the University of Adelaide in Australia, found that lotus flowers blooming in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens maintained a temperature of 30–35 °C (86–95 °F), even when the air temperature dropped to 10 °C (50 °F). They suspect the flowers may be doing this to attract coldblooded insect pollinators. Studies published in the journals Nature and Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences were in 1996 and 1998 important contributions in the field of thermoregulation, heat-producing, in plants. Two other species known to be able to regulate their temperature include Symplocarpus foetidus and Philodendron selloum.
An individual lotus can live for over a thousand years and has the rare ability to revive into activity after stasis. In 1994, a seed from a sacred lotus, dated at roughly 1,300 years old ± 270 years, was successfully germinated.[10][11]
The traditional Sacred Lotus is only distantly related to Nymphaea caerulea, but possesses similar chemistry. Both Nymphaea caerulea and Nelumbo nucifera contain the alkaloids nuciferine and aporphine.
Galapagos Islands
Off The Coast Of Equador
Santa Fe Island
Another image of a land iguana. The rules on the Galapagos Islands say people must only follow the designated paths and do not get any closer to the animals than six feet. You always have a guide with you making sure you don’t break the rules. When the islands were formed, the animals had no fear of humans. That led to the extinction of many species there when the first people appeared on the islands killing some for food like the tortoises and bringing rats and dogs with them to the islands.
The Barrington Land Iguana or Santa Fe Land Iguana (Conolophus pallidus) is a species of lizard in the Iguanidae family. It is one of three species of Conolophus. It is endemic to Santa Fe Island in the Galapagos.
The Barrington Land Iguana is similar in every detail to the Galapagos Land Iguana except that the Barrington Island Iguana is paler yellow in color with a longer more tapered snout and more pronounced dorsal spines. The Barrington Land Iguana grows to a length of three feet with a body weight of up to twenty-five pounds.
Being cold-blooded, they absorb heat from the sun basking on volcanic rock and at night sleep in burrows to conserve their body heat. These iguanas also enjoy a symbiotic relationship with the island's finches; the birds remove parasites and ticks providing relief to the iguana and food for the birds.
Barrington Land iguanas are primarily herbivorous; however, some individuals have shown that they are opportunistic carnivores supplementing their diet with insects, centipedes and carrion. Because fresh water is scarce on the islands it inhabits, the Land Iguana obtains most of its moisture from the prickly-pear cactus that makes up 80% of its diet: fruit, flowers, pads, and even spines.
During the rainy season it will drink from available standing pools of water and feast on yellow flowers of the Genus Portulaca. Listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. - Source Wikipedia
An adult female Southern Grass Skink (Pseudemoia entrecasteauxii) from a coastal swamp near Wonthaggi in South Gippsland enjoying the spring sunshine.
Island of Madagascar
Off The East Coast of Africa
Palmarium Reserve
The panther chameleon (Furcifer pardalis) is a species of chameleon found in the eastern and northern parts of Madagascar in a tropical forest biome. The male chameleon is more colorful than the female and has a bump on the nose. The males can come in a variety of colors.
Panther chameleons are zygodactylous: on each foot, the five toes are fused into a group of two and a group of three, giving the foot a tongs-like appearance. These specialized feet allow the panther chameleon a tight grip on narrow branches.
Their eyes are the most distinctive among the reptiles and function like a gun turret. The upper and lower eyelids are joined, with only a pinhole large enough for the pupil to see through. They can rotate and focus separately to observe two different objects simultaneously; their eyes move independently from each other. It in effect gives them a full 360-degree arc of vision around their bodies.
Panther chameleons have very long tongues which they are capable of rapidly extending out of the mouth. The tongue extends at around 26 body lengths per second. The tongue hits the prey in about 0.0030 sec. Once the tip sticks to a prey item, it is drawn quickly back into the mouth, where the panther chameleon's strong jaws crush it and it is consumed. – Wikipedia
"The way you walk (Sexy)
The way you talk, baby (Sexy)
Mama, you're too cold for me (Sexy)
Freaky baby
Who are you (You look like a movie star)
Girl, what's your name and number?
Is it true?
That you think I'm hot (Hot)
If we try
To get to know each other
You might find
You couldn't trade me for another." - Rick James ♫
A Painted Turtle gets an earful from an encroaching Green Heron. The turtle was there first and stood its ground. Although it did suck its head as far back in the shell as it would go.
Santa Cruz Island
Galapagos
South America
The Galapagos land iguana (Conolophus subcristatus) is a species of lizard in the family Iguanidae. It is one of three species of the genus Conolophus. It is endemic to the Galápagos Islands (Ecuador), in the dry lowlands of Fernandina, Isabela, Santa Cruz, North Seymour, Baltra, and South Plaza.
Charles Darwin described the Galapagos land iguana as "ugly animals, of a yellowish orange beneath, and of a brownish-red color above: From their low facial angle they have a singularly stupid appearance." The Galapagos land iguana grows to a length of 3 to 5 ft (0.9–1.5 m) with a body weight of up to 25 lb (11 kg), depending upon which island they are from. Being cold-blooded, they absorb heat from the sun by basking on volcanic rock, and at night sleep in burrows to conserve their body heat. These iguanas also enjoy a symbiotic relationship with birds; the birds remove parasites and ticks, providing relief to the iguanas and food for the birds.
Land iguanas are primarily herbivorous; however, some individuals have shown that they are opportunistic carnivores supplementing their diet with insects, centipedes and carrion. Because fresh water is scarce on the islands it inhabits, the Galapagos land iguana obtains most of its moisture from the prickly-pear cactus that makes up 80% of its diet. During the rainy season it will drink from available standing pools of water and feast on yellow flowers of the genus Portulaca.
It is estimated that the Galapagos land iguana has a 50 to 60-year lifespan. – Wikipedia
On the overview page of the Sunshine Group 9/11/22
Island of Madagascar
Off The East Coast of Africa
Palmarium Reserve
Parson's Chameleon (Female) (Calumma parsonii) Chameleon skin has quite a few layers of scales. Underneath its scales are layers of different pigments. The next layers are made up of crystals that create a crisscross pattern, or lattice.
Every year on August 14th, World Lizard Day celebrates a specific type of reptile. The day also encourages us to show appreciation for lizards and to learn more about them.
A lizard is considered a reptile, which is characterized by its scaly skin. Other features all reptiles have include long bodies and tails, four legs, and moveable eyelids. Most lizards lay eggs. However, there are some lizards that give birth to live babies.
Here are some more interesting facts about lizards:
• There are about 6,000 species of lizards.
• Lizards are found on every continent except Antarctica.
• Most kinds of lizards absorb water from their food, which means they don’t need to be near water.
• Lizards are cold-blooded, which means they need sunshine in order to survive.
• A lizard diet consists of a variety of foods including plants, insects, and eggs of small animals.
• Lizards range in size from two inches in length to over eleven feet.
• A lizard has a tail that regenerates, which means it grows another one if it breaks off.
• Some lizards can change colors.
Zoos across the world celebrate this day with special lizard exhibits. Science and nature centers also hold events such as live lizard presentations and educational seminars. - Internet
Basking in the sun right outside its safety refuge. If threatened, in an eye blink, this reptile can disappear into that dark rock crevice just behind it. As an additional defense, if something should try to pull it out of the crevice, it can inflate it's body to wedge itself tightly in the narrow opening.
This one was found in red rock country near Page, AZ.
Island Of Madagascar
Off the East Coast of Africa
Palmarium Reserve
The panther chameleon (Furcifer pardalis) is a species of chameleon found in the eastern and northern parts of Madagascar in a tropical forest biome.
Panther chameleons are zygodactylous: on each foot, the five toes are fused into a group of two and a group of three, giving the foot a tongs-like appearance. These specialized feet allow the panther chameleon a tight grip on narrow branches.
Their eyes are the most distinctive among the reptiles and function like a gun turret. They can rotate and focus separately to observe two different objects simultaneously; their eyes move independently from each other. It in effect gives them a full 360-degree arc of vision around their bodies.
Panther chameleons have very long tongues which are capable of rapidly extending out of the mouth. The tongue extends at around 26 body lengths per second. The tongue hits the prey in about 0.0030 sec.
At the base of the tongue, a bone is shot forward, giving the tongue the initial momentum, it needs to reach the prey quickly. At the tip of this elastic tongue, a muscular, club-like structure covered in thick mucus forms a suction cup. Once the tip sticks to a prey item, it is drawn quickly back into the mouth, where the panther chameleon's strong jaws crush it, and it is consumed. - Wikipedia
Island Of Madagascar
Off The East Coast Of Africa
Berenty Reserve
Furcifer verrucosus, also known as the warty chameleon, spiny chameleon or crocodile chameleon, is a species of small reptile endemic to Madagascar. The warty chameleon feeds largely on insects which it catches with its long sticky tongue.
The warty chameleon is found only on the island of Madagascar including Manderano in the Tulear region. It occurs over much of the west part of the island and in drier parts of the south. It is seldom found in primary rainforest but favours arid disturbed land, including near the sea. It is a terrestrial species and climbs around in low bushes. In hot weather it sometimes retreats into a sandy burrow to keep cool.
There are two subspecies, Furcifer v. verrucosus and Furcifer v. semicristatus, the latter being found mainly in the southernmost part of the island. This chameleon is closely related to Oustalet's chameleon Furcifer oustaleti (Malagasy giant chameleon). Wikipedia
© 2023 Daniel Novak Photo | FB | Blog | Instagram
© All rights reserved!
... there are three ponds along the way too. That's how we describe where we are on the trail. So here we're by the second pond and in late afternoons it is surrounded by bullfrogs soaking in the heat ... #etbtsy
Continued on my blog: Ribbit, Ribbit, Croak, Croak
Galapagos Islands
Off The Coast Of Equador
Santa Fe Island
The Barrington Land Iguana or Santa Fe Land Iguana (Conolophus pallidus) is a species of lizard in the Iguanidae family. It is one of three species of Conolophus. It is endemic to Santa Fe Island in the Galapagos.
The Barrington Land Iguana is similar in every detail to the Galapagos Land Iguana except that the Barrington Island Iguana is paler yellow in color with a longer more tapered snout and more pronounced dorsal spines. The Barrington Land Iguana grows to a length of three feet with a body weight of up to twenty-five pounds.
Being cold-blooded, they absorb heat from the sun basking on volcanic rock and at night sleep in burrows to conserve their body heat. These iguanas also enjoy a symbiotic relationship with the island's finches; the birds remove parasites and ticks providing relief to the iguana and food for the birds.
Barrington Land iguanas are primarily herbivorous, however some individuals have shown that they are opportunistic carnivores supplementing their diet with insects, centipedes and carrion. Because fresh water is scarce on the islands it inhabits, the Land Iguana obtains the majority of its moisture from the prickly-pear cactus that makes up 80% of its diet: fruit, flowers, pads, and even spines.
During the rainy season it will drink from available standing pools of water and feast on yellow flowers of the Genus Portulaca. Listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. - Source Wikipedia