Phrynocephalus persicus
Encyclopedia
The Persian Toad-headed Agama (Phrynocephalus persicus), also known as Horvath's Toad Headed Agama, is a species of agamid
lizards in the Phrynocephalus
genus that inhabits central Asia. It is classified as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The snout-vent lenght of the wide body ranges between 2.3 cm in newborns and 7 cm in adult females who are generally a little bit larger than males. The tail lenght is nearly equal to that of the body. However some difference in tail lenght has been documented between subspecies (Melnikov et al. 2008). Notably, subspecies P. persicus persicus appears to have a shorther tail compared to that of P. persicus horvathi. The weight of the Persian Toad Headed Agama ranges between 0.4 and 7.8 g.
This lizard's life span is only about 2.5-3 years, and juveniles become adults at an age less that one year old. Persian Toad Headed Agamae feed on a variety of available arthropod
s ranging from ants, small spiders to beetles and orthoptera
ns. Even venomous arthropods as spiders, bees and wasps can be ingested by this lizard.
The Persian Toad-Headed Agama is oviparous, which means that a female lays eggs to reproduce. Females may make 1-3 clutches of 2-4 small eggs, depending on the duration of the worm season, which, in its turn, heavily depends on elevation of the local terrain. The female lays the eggs into a narrow deep burrow she has dung into the sand. During the period of gravidity, females demonstrate a specifically aggressive behavior towards conspecifics and other invaders as well. This behavior includes walking on extended rear limbs with an inflated abdomen, colateral rotations of the curved end of the tail, tail-markings on the sand, and open mouth attacks.
Agamidae
Agamids, lizards of the family Agamidae, include more than 300 species in Africa, Asia, Australia, and a few in Southern Europe. Many species are commonly called dragons or dragon lizards. Phylogenetically they may be sister to the Iguanidae, and have a similar appearance. Agamids usually have...
lizards in the Phrynocephalus
Phrynocephalus
Phrynocephalus, commonly called Toadhead Agamas or Toad-headed Agama, includes more than 45 species of small and medium sized agamid lizards that inhabit open arid and semiarid environments of Asia and Eastern Europe. Systematics of this genus is very complicated. And there are a lot of...
genus that inhabits central Asia. It is classified as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The snout-vent lenght of the wide body ranges between 2.3 cm in newborns and 7 cm in adult females who are generally a little bit larger than males. The tail lenght is nearly equal to that of the body. However some difference in tail lenght has been documented between subspecies (Melnikov et al. 2008). Notably, subspecies P. persicus persicus appears to have a shorther tail compared to that of P. persicus horvathi. The weight of the Persian Toad Headed Agama ranges between 0.4 and 7.8 g.
Biology
Phylogeny within the genus Phrynocephalus is not well understood yet. There is a lack of data and controversy between opinions regarding both phylogenetic relationships and species vs. subspecies status of the different forms Phrynocephalus helioscopus and Phrynocephalus persicus, also called the "helioscopus-persicus complex". The most recent works suggest evidence supporting both. In 2008, Melnikov et al. also proposed a distinction of P. horvathi at the species level.This lizard's life span is only about 2.5-3 years, and juveniles become adults at an age less that one year old. Persian Toad Headed Agamae feed on a variety of available arthropod
Arthropod
An arthropod is an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton , a segmented body, and jointed appendages. Arthropods are members of the phylum Arthropoda , and include the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and others...
s ranging from ants, small spiders to beetles and orthoptera
Orthoptera
Orthoptera is an order of insects with paurometabolous or incomplete metamorphosis, including the grasshoppers, crickets and locusts.Many insects in this order produce sound by rubbing their wings against each other or their legs, the wings or legs containing rows of corrugated bumps...
ns. Even venomous arthropods as spiders, bees and wasps can be ingested by this lizard.
The Persian Toad-Headed Agama is oviparous, which means that a female lays eggs to reproduce. Females may make 1-3 clutches of 2-4 small eggs, depending on the duration of the worm season, which, in its turn, heavily depends on elevation of the local terrain. The female lays the eggs into a narrow deep burrow she has dung into the sand. During the period of gravidity, females demonstrate a specifically aggressive behavior towards conspecifics and other invaders as well. This behavior includes walking on extended rear limbs with an inflated abdomen, colateral rotations of the curved end of the tail, tail-markings on the sand, and open mouth attacks.
Proposed subspecies
- P. persicus persicus Solovyova et al. (2011)
- P. persicus horvathi Solovyova et al. (2011)
- P. helioscopus horvathi Méhely (1894) in Melnikov (2008)
- P. helioscopus var. horvathi Méhely (1894)
- P. horvathi Rostombekov (1938)