Scorpion-crusty lizard

Scorpion-crusty lizard
	Heloderma horridum
Systematics
Order :	Scale reptiles (Squamata)
without rank:	Toxicofera
without rank:	Sneaky (Anguimorpha)
Family :	Helodermatidae
Genre :	Crusty lizards ( Heloderma )
Type :	Scorpion-crusty lizard
Scientific name
	Heloderma horridum
	( Wiegmann , 1829)

Scorpion lizard in the Opel Zoo near Frankfurt am Main

The Scorpion-Krustenechse ( Heloderma horridum ) is a representative of the Krustenechsen (Helodermatidae). It is one of the few lizards that produce venom.

description

The scorpion-crusty lizard reaches a body length of 70 to 87 centimeters. The lizard has a large head, a massive looking body, and short legs with sharp claws . In addition to the usual scales, the back of the lizard is covered with large point-like horn scales. The belly side is characterized by flat, barely ossified and regularly arranged in transverse rows, small signs. The light or pale yellow speckles or speckles are striking, which together with the remaining black to dark brown skin result in a high-contrast, conspicuous warning color.

Occurrence

The crepuscular and nocturnal crustacean found in Mexico lives in dry forests and dry regions with flat scrub. The subspecies Heloderma horridum charlsbogerti occurs in Guatemala .

food

The scorpion-crusty lizard feeds on young birds and rodents, eggs, and smaller vertebrates. The prey is tracked down with the Jacobson organ .

Reproduction

The females lay 4 to 12 eggs in a moist pit. The young hatch after 130 to 188 days. The scorpion-crusty lizard reaches sexual maturity after about two years .

Poison

The scorpion-crusty lizard produces a toxin in the lower lip glands , which consists of various components and is passed on to the teeth of the lower jaw. The gilatoxin contained in it , a serine protease similar to the body's own enzyme kallikrein , is structurally, biochemically and functionally almost identical to the Blarina toxin in the American shrews . The poison is massaged into the bite wound with chewing movements.

Subspecies

There are four subspecies that were granted separate species status in mid-2013:

Heloderma horridum horridum (Wiegmann, 1829)
Heloderma horridum alvarezi Bogert & Martên del Campo, 1956
Heloderma horridum exasperatum Bogert & Martên Del Campo, 1956
Heloderma horridum charlesbogerti Campbell & Vannini, 1988

Danger

The Beaded Lizard is in the red list of the IUCN 'not at risk' ( least concern out).

literature

Dietrich Mebs , Heinz W. Raudonat: Biochemistry of the poison of the crustaceans Heloderma suspectum and Heloderma horridum. In: The natural sciences . Vol. 54, No. 18, 1967, p. 494, doi : 10.1007 / BF00702518 .
Lester S. Meléndez García: The Guatemala Skorpionskrustenechse, Heloderma horridum charlesbogerti, Campbell & Vannini, 1998. In: Reptilia. Vol. 11, No. 2 = No. 58, 2006, ISSN 1431-8997 , pp. 36-38.
Heinz Wermuth: Family Krustenechsen. In: Bernhard Grzimek (ed.): Grzimeks animal life. Encyclopedia of the Animal Kingdom. Volume 6: reptiles. Bechtermünz, Augsburg 2000, ISBN 3-8289-1603-1 , pp. 322-324, (unchanged reprint of the original edition from 1979/80).

swell

↑ Skorpion-Krustenechse ( Memento of the original from April 6, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Zurich Zoo @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.zoo.ch
↑ Yael T. Aminetzach, John R. Srouji, Chung Yin Kong, Hopi E. Hoekstra: Convergent Evolution of Novel Protein Function in Shrew and Lizard Venom. In: Current Biology. Vol. 19, No. 22, 2009, pp. 1925-1931, doi : 10.1016 / j.cub.2009.09.022 .
↑ Randall S. Reiserer, Gordon W. Schuett, Daniel D. Beck: Taxonomic Reassessment and Conservation Status of the Beaded Lizard, Heloderma horridum (Squamata: Helodermatidae). In: Amphibian & Reptile Conservation. Vol. 7, No. 1, 2013, pp. 74–96, digital version (PDF; 919.29 kB) .
↑ Heloderma horridum in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2009. Posted by: L. Canseco Marquez, A. Muñoz, 2007. Retrieved on November 5 of 2009.

Web links

Commons : Scorpion-Krustenechse ( Heloderma horridum ) - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

DGHT - Guatemalan crustacean lizard critically endangered
Photos subspecies
Heloderma horridum in Brehms Tierleben, general customer of the animal kingdom. Volume 7 (1892)
Heloderma horridum in The Reptile Database

[1] Skorpion-Krustenechse ( Memento of the original from April 6, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Zurich Zoo @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.zoo.ch

[CB2009-2] Yael T. Aminetzach, John R. Srouji, Chung Yin Kong, Hopi E. Hoekstra: Convergent Evolution of Novel Protein Function in Shrew and Lizard Venom. In: Current Biology. Vol. 19, No. 22, 2009, pp. 1925-1931, doi : 10.1016 / j.cub.2009.09.022 .

[3] Randall S. Reiserer, Gordon W. Schuett, Daniel D. Beck: Taxonomic Reassessment and Conservation Status of the Beaded Lizard, Heloderma horridum (Squamata: Helodermatidae). In: Amphibian & Reptile Conservation. Vol. 7, No. 1, 2013, pp. 74–96, digital version (PDF; 919.29 kB) .

[4] Heloderma horridum in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2009. Posted by: L. Canseco Marquez, A. Muñoz, 2007. Retrieved on November 5 of 2009.