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Chinese crocodile lizard
The Chinese crocodile lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus) is a semiaquatic anguimorph lizard found only in cool forests in southeastern China and northeastern Vietnam. The Chinese crocodile lizard spends much of its time in shallow water or in overhanging branches and vegetation, where it hunts its prey of insects, snails, tadpoles, and worms. Individuals in captivity may be fed baby mice. A rare and little-studied lizard, it is listed in CITES Appendix II, which regulates international trade of specimens. This is the only species in the monotypic genus Shinisaurus. It is the only living member of Shinisauria, a clade of lizards whose fossil record extends back to the Early Cretaceous, over 120 million years ago.
Chinese crocodile lizards are characterized by their green, colored with reddish necks. They often have alternating bands of light and dark patterns. Male Chinese crocodile lizards are more common than females, especially during the breeding season. On average, these lizards are 40–46 cm (16–18 in) long. Perhaps the lizards' most distinctive features are the rows of bony scales down its back and muscular tail, imitating those of a crocodile. Additionally, Chinese crocodile lizards are sexually dimorphic and can be distinguished visually. Adult males are larger and more colorful than females, with their color intensifying during the breeding season.
The composition of gut microbiota is associated with the lizard's metabolism and health. For the Chinese crocodile lizard (as an endangered species), the gut microbiota is an area of concerned study and interest; greater understanding of their diet and dietary functions help contribute to a more stable international, and (ultimately) wild, population. With Chinese crocodile lizards of different ages, there are minimal differences between the adult and juvenile lizards' gut microbial composition; the young will typically seek out the smallest invertebrates they can find, from larvae and young of beetles to spiders, small flies and ants. For mature animals, the crocodile lizards consume prey opportunistically, from earthworms, centipedes, millipedes, and beetles to the larvae from Lepidoptera. Female crocodile lizards have a preference for larval beetles and earthworms, especially during breeding seasons. Within the gut microbiota population, Bacillota and Pseudomonadota are the main microbiota found in the Shinisaurus crocodilurus. These two gut microbes are important across vertebrates and, for crocodile lizards, it benefits and aids in the species' metabolism, environmental information processing, genetic information processing and cellular processing.
In China, Shinisaurus crocodilurus is known to feed on both vertebrates and invertebrates. They are "sit-and-wait" predators, perched on branches near streams until prey items are sighted. Invertebrates include both terrestrial groups (worms, spiders, katydids, etc.) and aquatic shrimp. Vertebrate prey includes tadpoles, small fish, and occasionally frogs and lizards. The Vietnamese subspecies prefers terrestrial invertebrates, such as cockroaches, crickets, and particularly earthworms. Vertebrates are not known to be part of their diet.
Shinisaurus crocodilurus have been observed to be territorial and in a given pond or stream, one sole lizard will occupy the entire space. They will widen their mouths to establish dominance, which is known as gaping. The frequency of which Shinisaurus crocodilurus gape is thought to establish a dominant-subordinate social structure to their conspecifics. Similar to other lizards like Dipsosaurus dorsalis or Tropidurus spp., the Chinese crocodile lizards would also swing their tails and lunge at their competitors. The dominant lizard will lunge and whip its tail, without force, at the subordinate lizard. The result of this is often little to no physical harm done to the subordinate. However, the subordinate lizard will retreat from the dominant's territory. Another interesting dominance-establishing behavior for Shinisaurus crocodilurus is push-up behavior. The lizard would straighten its forelimbs and level the head. Unlike other lizards, the Shinisaurus crocodilurus would only perform this push-up motion with its anterior portion. While they were doing push-ups, Shinisaurus crocodilurus would sometimes bob their head in a circular motion.
On average, Shinisaurus crocodilurus are fully mature and able to reproduce by the age of 3. They are viviparous lizards, giving birth to 2-12 fully developed offspring every spring. The gestation period lasts for up to 9 months. This means that the mother does not have to take care of their offspring and that the offspring can survive independently. Female crocodile lizards are able to breed annually. Courtship often begins at the end of winter and breeding often occurs in the summer season, mainly July and August.
Pre-copulation for the Shinisaurus crocodilurus often begins with the adult male appearance changing to a more vibrant coloration. Adult male lizards will display courtship behaviors like head-nodding and approaching the females. Successful copulation for the Shinisaurus crocodilurus is when the adult male approaches to bite the female adult on the neck. He then will move his body position to be on top of the female's and secure his tail below the female. This position is observed to be securing the position of the adult female to male contact with the cloaca. After ejaculation, the adult male will release the neck bite and physically release the female.
Surviving subpopulations of Chinese crocodile lizards primarily occupy isolated fragments of land in Guangxi and Guangdong provinces of southeastern China. The Vietnamese subspecies is only found on Yên Tử Mountain in Quảng Ninh and Bac Giang provinces of northeastern Vietnam. Shinisaurus crocodilurus live alongside clear streams within subtropical broadleaf evergreen forests. They have a habitual preference for remote streams in undisturbed areas such as mountain ridges and dense forests. The species lives in a relatively cool, monsoonal climate at moderately high elevations, 200–1,500 meters (660–4,920 ft) above sea level. Their preference to occupy less dense habitat is in-line with their antipredator trajectory towards flight rather than fight. Shinisaurus crocodilurus utilize tree holes, rocks, vegetated perches as shelter and are rarely found exposed on the forest floor.
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Chinese crocodile lizard
The Chinese crocodile lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus) is a semiaquatic anguimorph lizard found only in cool forests in southeastern China and northeastern Vietnam. The Chinese crocodile lizard spends much of its time in shallow water or in overhanging branches and vegetation, where it hunts its prey of insects, snails, tadpoles, and worms. Individuals in captivity may be fed baby mice. A rare and little-studied lizard, it is listed in CITES Appendix II, which regulates international trade of specimens. This is the only species in the monotypic genus Shinisaurus. It is the only living member of Shinisauria, a clade of lizards whose fossil record extends back to the Early Cretaceous, over 120 million years ago.
Chinese crocodile lizards are characterized by their green, colored with reddish necks. They often have alternating bands of light and dark patterns. Male Chinese crocodile lizards are more common than females, especially during the breeding season. On average, these lizards are 40–46 cm (16–18 in) long. Perhaps the lizards' most distinctive features are the rows of bony scales down its back and muscular tail, imitating those of a crocodile. Additionally, Chinese crocodile lizards are sexually dimorphic and can be distinguished visually. Adult males are larger and more colorful than females, with their color intensifying during the breeding season.
The composition of gut microbiota is associated with the lizard's metabolism and health. For the Chinese crocodile lizard (as an endangered species), the gut microbiota is an area of concerned study and interest; greater understanding of their diet and dietary functions help contribute to a more stable international, and (ultimately) wild, population. With Chinese crocodile lizards of different ages, there are minimal differences between the adult and juvenile lizards' gut microbial composition; the young will typically seek out the smallest invertebrates they can find, from larvae and young of beetles to spiders, small flies and ants. For mature animals, the crocodile lizards consume prey opportunistically, from earthworms, centipedes, millipedes, and beetles to the larvae from Lepidoptera. Female crocodile lizards have a preference for larval beetles and earthworms, especially during breeding seasons. Within the gut microbiota population, Bacillota and Pseudomonadota are the main microbiota found in the Shinisaurus crocodilurus. These two gut microbes are important across vertebrates and, for crocodile lizards, it benefits and aids in the species' metabolism, environmental information processing, genetic information processing and cellular processing.
In China, Shinisaurus crocodilurus is known to feed on both vertebrates and invertebrates. They are "sit-and-wait" predators, perched on branches near streams until prey items are sighted. Invertebrates include both terrestrial groups (worms, spiders, katydids, etc.) and aquatic shrimp. Vertebrate prey includes tadpoles, small fish, and occasionally frogs and lizards. The Vietnamese subspecies prefers terrestrial invertebrates, such as cockroaches, crickets, and particularly earthworms. Vertebrates are not known to be part of their diet.
Shinisaurus crocodilurus have been observed to be territorial and in a given pond or stream, one sole lizard will occupy the entire space. They will widen their mouths to establish dominance, which is known as gaping. The frequency of which Shinisaurus crocodilurus gape is thought to establish a dominant-subordinate social structure to their conspecifics. Similar to other lizards like Dipsosaurus dorsalis or Tropidurus spp., the Chinese crocodile lizards would also swing their tails and lunge at their competitors. The dominant lizard will lunge and whip its tail, without force, at the subordinate lizard. The result of this is often little to no physical harm done to the subordinate. However, the subordinate lizard will retreat from the dominant's territory. Another interesting dominance-establishing behavior for Shinisaurus crocodilurus is push-up behavior. The lizard would straighten its forelimbs and level the head. Unlike other lizards, the Shinisaurus crocodilurus would only perform this push-up motion with its anterior portion. While they were doing push-ups, Shinisaurus crocodilurus would sometimes bob their head in a circular motion.
On average, Shinisaurus crocodilurus are fully mature and able to reproduce by the age of 3. They are viviparous lizards, giving birth to 2-12 fully developed offspring every spring. The gestation period lasts for up to 9 months. This means that the mother does not have to take care of their offspring and that the offspring can survive independently. Female crocodile lizards are able to breed annually. Courtship often begins at the end of winter and breeding often occurs in the summer season, mainly July and August.
Pre-copulation for the Shinisaurus crocodilurus often begins with the adult male appearance changing to a more vibrant coloration. Adult male lizards will display courtship behaviors like head-nodding and approaching the females. Successful copulation for the Shinisaurus crocodilurus is when the adult male approaches to bite the female adult on the neck. He then will move his body position to be on top of the female's and secure his tail below the female. This position is observed to be securing the position of the adult female to male contact with the cloaca. After ejaculation, the adult male will release the neck bite and physically release the female.
Surviving subpopulations of Chinese crocodile lizards primarily occupy isolated fragments of land in Guangxi and Guangdong provinces of southeastern China. The Vietnamese subspecies is only found on Yên Tử Mountain in Quảng Ninh and Bac Giang provinces of northeastern Vietnam. Shinisaurus crocodilurus live alongside clear streams within subtropical broadleaf evergreen forests. They have a habitual preference for remote streams in undisturbed areas such as mountain ridges and dense forests. The species lives in a relatively cool, monsoonal climate at moderately high elevations, 200–1,500 meters (660–4,920 ft) above sea level. Their preference to occupy less dense habitat is in-line with their antipredator trajectory towards flight rather than fight. Shinisaurus crocodilurus utilize tree holes, rocks, vegetated perches as shelter and are rarely found exposed on the forest floor.