13 Eye-catching Colorful Reptiles

Reptiles like lizards, crocodiles, geckos and the likes are often regarded as fearsome creatures. These air-breathing, cold-blooded animals that have skin covered in scales as opposed to hair or feathers can be attractive and colorful too. Here are the most colorful reptiles in the world

1. Green Iguana

Another common name of this large and colorful lizard endemic to Central and South America is Common Iguana (Iguana iguana). It's an herbivore and grows to 1.5 meters (4.9 ft) in length from head to tail. The largest known speci-mens have grown more than 2 meters (6.6 ft) with bodyweights upward of 20 pounds (9.1 kg).

2. Dracaena Lizard

This uniquely colored lizard is also named Caiman Lizards and can be found in South America. This lizard spends a lot of time in the water and they inhabit marshes, streams and flooded forests. Caiman lizards often bask on branches overhanging the water.

3. Blue-tailed Sandveld

This beautifully colored lizard that is found in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa and Eastern USA is known scientifically as Nucras caesicaudata. It can clearly be distinguished because of its distinctive blue tail. Little has been discovered about its anatomy and way of life, but it lives in dry, sandy, savanna regions.

4. Veiled Chameleon

The veiled chameleon, Chamaeleo calyptratus, a large and colorful species of chameleon, are found in Yemen and Saudi Arabia and also sometimes referred to as the Yemen Chameleon. This chameleon change color depending on its mood. The prominence of these markings is dependent on several factors including health, mood, and tempe-rature of the lizard.

5. Panther Chameleon

This colorful species of chameleon known scientifically as Furcifer pardalis lives throughout the island of Madagascar and has been introduced to Reunion and Mauritius. Female are much smaller than male, about half the size. Male Panther Chameleons can grow up to 20 inches (50 cm) in length, with a typical length of around 17 inches (45 cm).

6. Peninsular Rock Agama

Psammophilus dorsalis, a species of reptile with distinct coloration, is a common species of agama. Red colored reptiles are very rare. It is found on rocky hills in south India. It is also commonly called as South Indian Rock Agama.

7. Red-headed Rock Agama

This brilliantly colored reptile formally named Agama agama is a species of lizard distributed in most of sub-Saharan Africa. It is also commonly referred to as the Common, Red-headed, or Rainbow agama. It can often be seen in the heat of the day. During breeding season the males develop their most dramatic markings, the head and neck and also tail turning bright orange, and the body dark blue.

8. Oriental Garden Lizard

This uniquely colored species that is widely found in Asia is formally named as Calotes versicolor. This species has also been introduced in many parts other parts of the world. It is an insectivore and the male gets a bright red throat in the breeding season leading to a common incorrect name of Bloodsucker.

9. Galapagos Land Iguana

I love the color of this reptile named the Galapagos Land Iguana or Conolophus subcristatus. Yellow colored reptiles are very rare. This species of lizard is native to the Galapagos Islands.

10. Parson's Chameleon

This reptile which is native to Madagascar named the Parson's chameleon or Calumma parsonii is a very large and nicely colored species of chameleon. The trade of this species is regulated. As with the majority of chameleon species from Madagascar, it is illegal to import Parson's chameleons from their native country.

11. Transvaal Dwarf Lizard

This unique and colorful chameleon known in Science as Bradypodion transvaalense is endemic to southern Africa.

12. Furcifer minor

Although a bit creepy-looking, Furcifer minor, a species of lizard which is native to Madagascar. This brightly colored species of lizard is threatened by habitat loss.

13. Iberian Lizard Worm

Also commonly known as European Worm Lizard (Blanus cinereus), this species of reptile is locally known as "Cobra-cega" in Portuguese and "culebrilla ciega" in Spanish. This color blue, small legless reptile and a burrowing speciesmay reach a total length of 10-20 cm (4-8 in). It can often be found under logs and rocks, especially after storms.