Adaptations of Desert Reptiles

Hi guys

Think about adaptation here !

Fringe-fingered Lizard Desert Agama

1. Distinctive colour

– Those colors ranging between sand and dirt, yellow and white, and brown color of the gravel to perform several functions :

1. Concealing Coloration

2. Mitigation of radiation of sun which falling on their bodies.

• Color of the skin: Some reptiles change their colors with temperature change.

• For example, lizards are darker and the melanin pigments are more distributed in melanophores. When they become bright or less dark, the melanin concentration inside the malanophores increases.

• This change illustrates the absorption or reflection of rays. So, the color change plays a role in regulating temperature and protection

2. Circadian Rhythm

• A circadian rhythm is a roughly 24 hour cycle in the physiological and behavioral processes of living beings

– animal activity Starts at specific times commensurate with their ability to withstand climatic conditions.

What do you think about this animals: Horned viper

Spiny-tailed lizards.

Schmidt Lizard Arabian Gecko

Think about adaptation here !

3. Special adaptations to move on the sand

Arabian sand gecko is unusual for its webbed feet, which increase the surface area for burrowing and walking on soft sand

Schmidt lizard : fringe-toed lizard has ‘fringes’ of elongated scales along the sides of each toe. to enable them to walk on the sand loose easily.

Arabian horned viper : strong muscles to enable it for lateral movement .

Yellow-spotted agama

Think about adaptation here !

Arabian toad-headed agama

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Poikilotherm : is an organism whose internal temperature varies considerably.

•Ectotherm: refers to organisms that control body temperature through external means.

4. Thermoregulation

Some adaptations are behavioral.

Basking : They bask in the sun in the early morning.

Sticking on surfaces:. They absorb heat from the surfaces like soil and rocks by sticking on them, especially in cold times.

Burying themselves in sand at regions with less temperature.

They decrease their activities and stay at their caves and shadow and restrict their activities and nutrition in the early morning and evening.

- Evaporation and Cooling: Reptiles can get rid of excess heat through Panting which

helps to increase the passage of air over wet surfaces of the body and accordingly increasing evaporation and reduces temperature.

Iguana was recorded that when the temperature was 44 degrees Celsius, the respiratory rate was 59 / minute and when it was 40 ° C the breathing rate was 19 / minute.

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Middle Eastern short-fingered gecko

Reptiles get water directly through :

1. Free water "drinking”

2. From food .

“in directly “ through:

Oxidation water (the water produced by all animals when they metabolize food).

5. Water Balance

Water lose :Cutaneous “skin” : so, they are usually covered

with Keratin layer which makes the loss of water through skin .

Respiration : so m they absorb water from urine by urinary bladder. So it becomes solid, also water is absorbed from the area of the rectumand cloaca to return back to blood again.

1. Tissue lipids in their tales.2. lymphocytes pockets in their abdomen.

6. Water Storage

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