The Xinjiang Iguana is a reptile of the genus Iguana, commonly known as the Xinjiang iguana. It is distributed in Mongolia and Xinjiang and other places in mainland China. It mainly lives in loess and loess sandy deserts, in riparian terraces, in Populus euphratica forests, desert shrubs, flood ditch banks and in the crevices of abandoned soil walls by residents, and occasionally in gravel desert irrigation canals side. Its survival range is between 100 and 1760 meters above sea level. The model origin of Xinjiang rock lizard is located in Yingjisha and Yecheng, Xinjiang.

1. Food of Xinjiang rock lizards

Xinjiang rock lizards eat animal food, mainly various insects. Gekkonids are nocturnal and feed on insects such as Lepidoptera. There are also some Xinjiang rock lizards (Agama) such as iguanas, and their food is mainly plants. Since most of the Xinjiang rock lizard species eat a lot of insects, their role in controlling pests cannot be underestimated. Many people think that Xinjiang rock lizards are poisonous animals, which is wrong. Among the 6,000 species of Xinjiang rock lizards in the world, only two poisonous lizards are known, belonging to the family Helodermatidae, and both are distributed in North and Central America.

2. Habits of Xinjiang rock lizards

Xinjiang rock lizards have a strong ability to change color, especially Chamaeleons, which are good at changing color. The name Chameleon. Most of the tree lizards and dragon lizards in our country also have the ability to change color. Among them, the Xinjiang rock lizard (Calots versicolor) becomes lighter in color and red in the head and neck in the dry place exposed to the sun. Body color gradually darkens. The discoloration of the Xinjiang rock lizard is an involuntary change of physiological behavior. It is related to the intensity of light, the change of temperature, the excitement of the animal itself, and the health of the individual.

Xinjiang rock lizards are ectothermic animals. Xinjiang rock lizards living in temperate and frigid zones enter a dormant state in winter, showing changes in seasonal activities. Xinjiang rock lizards live in the tropics, because of the warm climate, they can be active all year round. The range of activities of the Xinjiang rock lizard is very limited. Xinjiang rock lizards tend to move only among a few trees. According to the research of several Xinjiang rock lizards that are active on the ground, such as the multi-line southern lizard, the average activity range is about 1,000 square meters. Some species also show age differences. Newly hatched flies (Sphenomorplus) mostly live near the waters of the hatching area, and only move to distant forests when they are adults.

When the Xinjiang rock lizard encounters enemy damage or is seriously disturbed, it often cuts off its tail, and the tail is constantly beating to attract the attention of the enemy, but it runs away. This phenomenon is called self-interdiction, and can be thought of as a protective adaptation to escape predators. Self-truncation can occur anywhere on the tail. But the place where the tail is docked is not at the joint between the two coccyx vertebrae, but at the special cartilage diaphragm in the middle of the same vertebral body. This special diaphragm is formed during the ossification of the coccyx and is broken by the strong contraction of the muscles of the tail. my country's gecko family, snake lizard family, Xinjiang rock lizard family and Xinjiang rock lizard of the skink family all have the ability to cut and regenerate.

3. Reproduction of Xinjiang rock lizards

Xinjiang rock lizards have junctions and can fertilize in vivo. Breeding usually occurs in late spring and early summer. Some types of sperm can remain viable in the female for several years, and can produce fertilized eggs for several years after mating once. Only female individuals are found in some Xinjiang rock lizards. According to research, they are parthenogenetic species. The chromosomes of these Xinjiang rock lizards are often aneuploid. Some species that normally reproduce bisexually will switch to parthenogenesis under certain environmental conditions. It is believed that parthenogenesis is conducive to all members participating in the production of offspring, and is conducive to rapidly expanding the population and occupying the field of survival.