Bibron's Agama

Agama bibronii is a medium-sized lizard, growing to up to 25–30 cm (9.8–12 in) in total length, 15 cm (5.9 in) of which is made up of the cylindrical tail. The dorsal scales are relatively large and each scale is the same size as all the others, it has some spikes on its neck and on the side of the head while the throat is wrinkled. The males are larger than the females. The dorsal surface is greyish green and is marked with brown spots while the head is blue with orange rims around the eyes. When breeding, the male's head and body turn coppery-orange while the rest of the body turning purplish-blue with paler rings on the tail. The females are mainly bluish grey with their backs coloured orangey-yellow and marked with red stripes. The colour can also vary because of age or exposure to the sun. Juveniles have tubercles where the spikes will grow when they are adult.

Agama bibronii is found in north western Africa with its distribution centred on Morocco but it extends south to Western Sahara and east into eastern Algeria as far as east as Batna Province in northeastern Algeria. It may also occur in the Zemmour Massif in northern Mauritania.

Agama bibronii occurs in rocky areas, where it is diurnal, its main prey are arthropods but it will take small lizards as well as feeding on plant material. In Morocco it is thought that these lizards eat flowers mainly for the moisture content. It has also been recorded from Mediterranean type vegetation, steppe, and areas of suitable habitat at the margins of cultivated land. One-third to half of all females lay two clutches of eggs per year, the remainder lay one. Each clutch contains between six and 23 eggs, with a mean number of 14 eggs. The breeding season falls between late April and early September and the females begin to breed in their first year; 1–2-year-old females are the commonest age for breeding. It is a good climber over trees and rocks and is tolerant of high temperatures and exposure to the sun, although in the hottest part of the day in midsummer they may retreat to shade. When they feel threatened they can rapidly flee to a hiding place between rocks or under a shrub. In habitats where there is abundant prey and plenty of shelter these lizards can occur at high densities. Its main predators are snakes and raptors and if it cannot flee to a shelter it will play dead. The night is spent in a burrow excavated under a large stone, in a bank or an under embankment, the main burrow is less than one metre in length and may have several side galleries. …