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Common Butterfly Lizard
Leiolepis belliana
The common butterfly lizard (Leiolepis belliana), also called the butterfly agama or butterfly lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Agamidae. The species is native to Asia.
From the article Common butterfly lizard on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), quoted section by section
Description
L. belliana has a tan or olive green body and yellow spots on its back, with small orange and black lines on its sides and extendable side flaps. Male lizards will have bright red and black stripes during mating season. Adults can reach 15 inches in length.
Range & habitat
L. belliana can be found in Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. It has been observed as an invasive species in Florida as far back as 1992. It was originally introduced by a tropical fish dealer in the Miami area and populations there continue to spread. The ecological impacts on native Florida species are unknown.
Wikipedia: “Geographic range”
What it does
L. belliana are strictly monogamous and share their burrow with their partner. Females can lay up to 8 eggs at a time. Babies are cared for in the parent's burrow for a few months before they dig their own burrows nearby.
Wikipedia: “Reproduction”
In human culture
The specific name, belliana, is in honor of English zoologist Thomas Bell. The common name butterfly lizard is from flaps of skin on their sides which can expand to look like butterfly wings.
Wikipedia: “Etymology”
Where it lives
Recorded sightings
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geo-referenced records in GBIF, from museums, herbaria and field observers.
Drag the globe to turn it. Dots are where records exist, not a range map; darker means more records.
In the stacks
Searching the stacks…
Every page naming Leiolepis belliana in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
This page is assembled live from iNaturalist, GBIF, Wikipedia, the Source Library and the Internet Archive. It is not yet part of the hand-edited codex. iNaturalist taxon 31544.