Red Tailed Lizard
- Details
Living Being Type
Wildlife
Living Being Family
Other Wildlife
Living Being Group
Lizards
Furnishing
Red Tailed Lizard
- Description
A small lizard with horns on its head that can often be found in shadowy bushes. These lizards have lovely red, patterned tails that blend in with their surroundings. They discard these tails in moments of peril to confuse their foes. Lizard tails have special medicinal properties when dried and ground down into a powder. Some crazy alchemists have even found a way to process them into catalysts for explosions. Once they are separated from the body, these tails will lose their vitality and curl up. Red Tailed Lizard is a type of Lizard that can be found in the wild.
Red-tailed lizards are some of the most eye-catching reptiles out there. Their vibrant red tails contrast strikingly with the rest of their bodies, making them stand out in their environments.
But what are some of the most common and interesting red-tailed lizard species? Here are 10 you need to know about
1. Western Red-Tailed Skink
The Western Red-tailed Skink (Plestiodon gilberti rubricaudatus) is a small lizard, growing to around 3-4.5 inches long. It’s native to California, inhabiting chaparral and woodland areas across the state.
This lizard has an olive gray body with black stripes in some individuals Its tail transitions from brown to a bright red It earned its name from that fiery red tail,
These lizards spend much of their time hiding under leaves or buried in loose soil. They emerge occasionally to bask or hunt for spiders and insects.
2. Peters’s Rock Agama
Peters’s Rock Agama (Agama picticauda), native to West Africa, is an introduced species in Florida. It has a red head and tail contrasting with its gray-brown body.
These lizards live in small groups rather than alone. They can often be spotted perched on rocks or walls, lying in wait for passing insects like ants and grasshoppers.
Though introduced, wild populations of these agamas seem to be thriving in Florida environments. Their populations have been steadily growing since their introduction.
3. Mole Skink
The Mole Skink (Plestiodon egregius) is a threatened red-tailed lizard native to Florida and some neighboring states. It has an olive body with dark stripes and a bright red tail.
These small lizards, up to around 6.5 inches long, like to spend their time buried in moist sandy soil. They emerge occasionally to feed on spiders, roaches, and other small invertebrates.
Habitat loss has contributed to dwindling wild populations of the Mole Skink, earning it protected status in Florida. Ongoing conservation efforts aim to protect its sandy habitat.
4. Ornate Scrub Lizard
Ornate Scrub Lizards (Nucras ornata) are fittingly named for their ornate patterning. These African lizards have black bodies with bright white or gray markings, along with a red tail.
The red coloring extends beyond just the tail and onto the legs and sides in some individuals. These lizards reach around 5 inches long at maturity.
Their bold black and white patterning likely helps them stand out against the red sands of their native habitats in Namibia and other parts of Southern and Western Africa.
5. Ocellated Gecko
The Ocellated Gecko (Sphaerodactylus argus) is a small Caribbean species introduced to Florida. It gets its name from the eye-like ocelli dots along its gray-yellow body.
But its most eye-catching feature is its vivid red tail dotted with darker red spots. These geckos stick to humid, forested areas.
Though not native, wild populations of this species are now well-established in Florida’s warm, moist environments.
6. Common Dotted Garden Skink
This aptly named lizard (Riopa punctata) has a tan body covered in tiny black spots, with stripes along its back. And of course, it has the signature red tail of red-tailed skinks.
Rather than standing out, this skink’s speckled pattern helps it camouflage into leaf litter in its Asian and African woodland habitats. Its red tail likely startles potential predators when revealed.
7. Red-Tailed Worm Lizard
The Red-tailed Worm Lizard (Aprasia inaurita) looks just like its name suggests – a worm with a red tail. This unique legless lizard has a pinkish-red tail tip and head, contrasting with its gray body.
These small lizards, under 6 inches long, spend most of their time burrowing through loose soil. They emerge briefly to feed on insects and worms.
Though their red tails are eye-catching, their worm-like bodies help them disappear back into the leaf litter and soil.
8. Redtail Tegu
The South American Redtail Tegu (Vanzosaura rubricauda) has vibrant red tails and undersides. Their black-and-white striped upper bodies provide perfect contrast.
These tegus hold their tails aloft as they walk, showing off the bright red coloring. This is thought to signal toxicity, even though redtail tegus are not actually poisonous.
As these lizards age, their stripes fade to white and gray rather than black and white, but the red tail remains boldly colored through adulthood.
9. Sekukhune Flat Lizard
The Sekukhune Flat Lizard (Platysaurus orientalis) is a green lizard with a vivid yellow-red tail. It has white dots and stripes along its body.
This species is endemic to rocky areas of South Africa. Their mottled green and white pattern likely helps provide camouflage in their native habitat.
Not much is known about their behaviors, but females are known to lay just 2 eggs at a time in sheltered spots like under rocks.
10. Dussumier’s Litter Skink
Dussumier’s Litter Skink (Sphenomorphus dussumieri) is black with vibrant yellow stripes along its body and an orange-red tail. It’s found solely in southwestern India.
These diurnal skinks like humid, forested areas where they forage among the leaf litter for insect prey. Their complex patterning probably helps them blend into the forest floor.
The striking red tails of these and other red-tailed lizards likely startle predators, helping the lizards avoid being someone else’s dinner. So while they may draw our eyes as observers, for the lizards themselves, the red tails are key to their survival.
Locations[]
Red Tailed Lizards can be found in Chenyu Vale, Fontaine, and the desert of Sumeru.
See the Teyvat Interactive Map for specific locations.
Drops[]
Catching one for the first time will add this creatures entry into your in-game archive.
Unusual red-headed reptile spreading across South Florida
FAQ
What kind of lizard has a red tail?
The Florida Keys mole skink is one of the rarest and most mysterious of Florida natives. This small, five-inch-long lizard has shiny, armor-like scales, a pinkish-red tail and a brown body. It’s a secretive animal, living under rocks, leaves, debris and washed-up beach vegetation called tidal wrack.
Is a skink lizard poisonous?
Five-lined skinks, like all of North Carolina’s native skinks, are harmless and non-venomous.
Are skinks good to have around?
Having skinks around will help control crickets, moths and cockroaches.
Do lizards have red tails?
In comparison to the other lizards in the Acanthodactylus genus, these particular lizards have three series of scales on their fingers and brilliant red tails in the juvenile and subadult populations. Only the female lizards continue to present with the bright red tails, and the males do not have these tails.
What color is the tail of a lizard?
These lizards have tails that are light brown. They are bright green with white, dark green, or cream stripes, which usually continue all the way down the tail. The common green forest lizard has a grown to yellow head, which turns bright red during the breeding season.
What does a red tailed skink lizard look like?
Red-tailed Skink Red-tailed Skinks are small lizards with a maximum length of not more than 21 cm. Adults are greenish-brown in color with a bright red or orange tail. During the breeding season, the head of males is often red or orange. Juvenile lizards have lighter stripes with blue tails.
What lizard species has a red head?
One lizard species with a red head is the red headed rock agama. There are several Agama Agama species, including the red headed rock agama, common agama, and the rainbow agama. These lizards are found in sub-Saharan Africa and can grow up to 30 centimeters (12 inches) in length.
Are red tail lizards poisonous?
Lizards can have red tails throughout their lifespan or they might only turn red at a given moment, such as when looking to capture the attention of a prospective mate. Are Red-Tailed Lizards Poisonous? Lizards with red tails are often confused with poisonous or even venomous species. In reality, these types of lizards aren’t poisonous to humans.
What is a red lizard?
Another red lizard on the list is Peninsular Rock Agama. During the breeding season, the male Peninsular Rock Agamas develops very bright colors, with the upper parts becoming fine vermilion red or yellow to attract females. They have a black lateral stripe that begins behind the eye and broadens to cover the lower sides as shown in the image.