Lizards & geckos
Yellow-headed gecko, Costa Rica.
I found this yellow-headed gecko (Gonatodes albogularis) on a rotten log at a La Selva Botanical Station where they are fairly common. You can find all manner of wonderful things on a good rotting log!
Green eyed Gecko (Gecko smithii)
I'm hoping my ID on this gecko from Peninsular Malaysia is correct. Either way, his eyes are stunning.
Plumed basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons) Costa Rica.
Plumed basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons). This is a large (1-3 feet) lizard that blends into the forest despite his brilliant colors -- or because of them.
PB250369
I'm pretty sure this is a clouded monitor lizard (Varanus nebulous) although it could be Varanus salvator. He was about 3 feet long (call it a meter) which means he could grow another foot or so -- not my typical subject! Monitors can be aggressive feeders -- I've seen them lunge into the water trying to grab a fish (and have the photos) and they will scavenge dead animals. This one was flicking out his tongue as he moved through the leaf litter. Got him with Lou's lovely Nikon 70-200 so not my usual gear.
About 7" 180mm, living in/on a rotten log.
A pretty lizard from the Peruvian Amazon near Iquitos. It does not seem to have missed a meal recently.
Unknown lizard species, Malaysia.
And here is a close-up shot showing those beautiful blue eyes.
Cat gecko. (Aeluroscalabotes felinus.) Sarawak, Borneo. The common name apparently references their habit of curling their tails when they rest.
Flying lizard suspected. Malaysia.
Clinging upside down to a vine in Taman Negara
Just a pretty picture!
Another very pretty little anole lizard.
A pretty little gecko from Singapore.
I'm calling this one a beach gecko because that's where I found her -- in an abandoned building on the beach at Kenting, Taiwan.
Green crested lizard, Sarawak.
I'm pretty sure this lizard is a juvenile Bronchocela cristatella but I'd appreciate any corrections. He was resting on some ferns.
PC263543
I found this gecko in the huge "Taman Negara" protected area east of Kuala Lumpar.
About 1.5 feet long. Unsure of species.
I found this one at the far southern tip of the country in the big national park near Kenting.
I’d been wondering about this little lizard for a while. Why is he white? I found him at night at La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica and tried to ID him several times. I was pretty sure he was a species of anole lizard but got nowhere until I found the following Wikipedia entry on anole lizards: “Their colors during the night when sleeping often differ distinctly from their colors during the day when awake. Among these are some species that otherwise do not drastically change their colors, including certain anoles that generally are brown during the day changing to greenish or whitish when sleeping at night.” Apparently, what I'd found was one of the local anole species who had turned this grey and white color while he slept. Corrections welcome on this! During the day, most anoles can change color. The Carolina anole (which is the only native US anole species) can change from green to brown in a matter of a few minutes. The color change is triggered by a release of hormones and occurs for a variety of reasons including stress, temperature, display and aggression. What I didn't know is that they can turn their color off at night which is what this little guy had done and how I spotted him.
Sleepy anole lizard portrait, Florida.
I found this lizard on Fort Myers beach among the scrub that sits above the shoreline. It's amazing what is out there -- even in a built up, heavily disturbed area that has very little left that is "natural." One can only imagine the cool species that would have thrived there before it was (mostly) destroyed as a wildlife habitat and infested by humans.
Changeable lizard portrait, Singapore.
A pretty little Changeable lizard (Calotes versicolor) from Dairy Farm Park in Singapore.
Unknown lizard species, Malaysia.
The obvious choice would be the blue eyed lizard. But I don't think he is.