The Rainbow Lizard or Red Headed Agama as it is also called, is a species of lizard that is native to much of Western Africa.
These lizards are known for their stunning coloration of reds, oranges, blues and greens.
They are often referred to as the Common Agama or even the Red Headed Rock Agama.
Rainbow Lizard Taxonomy
In the Animal Kingdom, Taxonomy is used as the science and practice of classifying different species and sub-species based on their biological and genetic makeup.
Family
The Rainbow Lizard belongs to the Agamidae family of lizards. These lizards are commonly called Agamids and are often referred to as ‘Dragons’.
The Agamid family is a very large family of lizards with over 300 recognised species. They are native to Africa, Asia and Australia while a few species can also be found in Southern Europe.
Agamids are part of the infraorder Iguania which contains other popular families of lizards including Iguanas, Chameleons and Anoles.
The species in this family often have a somewhat similar appearance to iguanas and usually have strong powerful legs.
They also often share characteristics with chameleons such as the ability to slightly change color to regulate their body temperature.
Genus
The genus that the Rainbow Lizard belongs to is called Agama. Most of the lizards in this genus are small to medium in size and native to Africa.
There are roughly 40 different species recognised as part of this genus along with a number of other sub-species.
Some of the other species in this genus include the Common Spiny Agama and the Kenyan Rock Agama.
Species
The Rainbow Lizard is the nominate species in the Agama genus. It has the scientific name Agama agama and there are currently no recognised sub-species.
The Red Headed Agama was first described in 1758 by a Swedish taxonomist named Carl Linnaeus.
Linnaeus is credited for formalising binomial nomenclature which is the modern system of naming organisms. He has described a large number of reptiles including the Yellow Footed Tortoise, the Common Slow Worm, the Green Ameiva, the Eastern Copperhead, the Mediterranean House Gecko, the Northern Water Snake and the Banded Water Snake.He also described the Ringneck Snake, the Blunthead Three Snake, the Greek Tortoise, the Surinam Horned Frog, the Desert Horned Viper and the Nile Monitor.
Rainbow Lizard Description
The male Rainbow Lizard is actually larger than the female and can grow to a maximum size of around 25cm. Females are slightly smaller with a maximum size of around 20cm.
They can be identified by their buff brown back limbs and tail which have six to seven dark spots on either side of a centre stripe that is slightly lighter in color.
They have olive green heads but some sexual dimorphism exists. The dominant male has a blue body with a golden tail and head.
It is the striking coloration of this male that gives this lizard its common name, the Rainbow Lizard.
The Red Headed Agama has a long tail and external ear openings. They also have well developed teeth for grabbing and crushing food.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Rainbow Lizard is native to Western Africa where it can be found throughout much of the region.
This lizard cannot be found in the Sahara Desert as the conditions are too hot and arid for the species.
On the Western Coast of Africa, it can be found in places such as Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Sierra-Leone and Liberia.
Their range of the Red Headed Agama then extends inwards through countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria.
They can be found as far East as places such as Chad, Cameroon and the Central African Republic.
Their range of the Rainbow Lizard then extends as far South as places such as Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and the Republic of Congo.
They share some of their range with species such as the African Sideneck Turtle, the Senegal Chameleon, the African Fire Skink , the West African Bush Viper and the Savannah Monitor.
Rainbow Lizard Behaviour
The Rainbow Lizard exhibits a number of common behaviours seen in many species of Agama lizards such as head bobbing, threat displays, fighting and basking.
The lifting and lowering of the lizard’s head and chest are referred to as head bobbing or push-ups.
The male Red Headed Agama does this for a number of reasons, such as during the reproductive process or as a threat display.
The male will challenge other males who intrude on their territory. Their body and head move quickly up and down while the gular sac is fully expanded.
Males use a variety of colors to signal their intentions during combat, typically displaying a dark brown head and a light blue-grey gular pouch.
However, most fights consist of bluffs and threat displays. But if these aren’t enough to deter a rival, physical conflict can occur.
