Moloch, everything about Moloch, about Moloch, lizard Moloch, Moloch description. Moloch lizard

Habitat of Moloch (lat. Moloch horridus) are semi-deserts and deserts of the central and western regions of Australia. The body of the moloch is wide and flattened, reaching 22 centimeters in length.

It is abundantly covered with many short and curved horny spines, which take the form of horns above the eyes and above the pillow-like neck outgrowth. The head of the moloch, on the contrary, is small and quite narrow.

Brownish-yellow coloration covers the upper body of the moloch, it can also have reddish-brown shades with dark spots and a narrow yellowish stripe. An amazing feature of this animal is its ability to change its color. This can occur due to many factors, be it temperature, lighting or the physiological state of the body.

The peak of Moloch activity is during the daytime. Its method of movement is quite unusual: it slowly walks with outstretched legs and practically does not touch the ground with its tail. Being related to lizards, molochs, having found soft soil, dig holes. However, they can also completely submerge themselves in the sand to a relatively shallow depth, thereby imitating the behavior of some Asian and American lizards.

If the moloch is frightened, then its improvised horns become a means of defense. By bending his head down and exposing his horny outgrowths located on the back of his head, the moloch confronts his offenders. A fairly large growth on the back of the head imitates the so-called false head, thereby confusing the predator.

Thanks to its very sticky tongue, the moloch very cleverly hunts for ants, which make up its diet. Ants are a favorite treat" Iridomyrmex flavipes" In one day, a moloch is capable of eating several thousand ants, sitting comfortably near the ant path and picking up its prey with its sticky tongue.

Surprisingly, the moloch does not drink in the usual way, since its skin does an excellent job of collecting dew or rainwater. However, like amphibians, the moloch cannot drink water with its skin.

Modern studies using electron microscopes have shown that under the scales of the animal there are many microscopic channels, which, under the action of capillary forces, direct water that gets on the skin directly into the lizard’s mouth. It is also worth noting the fact that after contact with water, the body of the moloch can increase by as much as a third.

Every September-December, the female moloch lays a clutch of 3-10 eggs in a burrow, from which the cubs hatch after 90-130 days. The most dangerous enemies of the moloch are monitor lizards and birds of prey, which live in the lizard’s natural habitat in fairly large numbers.

The deserts of central and western Australia are home to an unusual reptile - the moloch. This lizard looks very impressive. The first scientist to be impressed was John Gray, who in 1840 caught and described this interesting animal. He was even able to bring one specimen to Europe to demonstrate to his colleagues.

What are lizards?

The Australian aborigines would not mind much if they learned that a visiting European called the animal “moloch”. In their minds, a lizard is generally a horned devil. So she had no chance at all for some cute name.

Judge for yourself: 22 centimeters of short spines and sharp spines, a horn above each eye, the spines around the head and neck form a kind of Spanish collar, which makes the small flat head visually larger. Spikes and horny scutes are everywhere, even on the short crooked legs and abdomen. This is a walking cactus, and not a lizard of the agam family, as the encyclopedia claims.

Color

The color of the moloch is protective, matching the red-yellow-brown soils of the Australian deserts, therefore it is very bright, even beautiful. The body is brown on top, with red or orange. All colored spots and stripes are strictly symmetrical and form an interesting pattern. The abdomen and underside of the tail also have a pattern of colored stripes and diamonds.

This lizard is also interesting for its ability to change skin tones depending on the surrounding temperature. Of course, she cannot be called a desert chameleon. But the changes in color are obvious. Professor R. Mertens, who observed Molochs in Australia, noted that in the morning, while the air temperature is just approaching 30 ° C, the lizards are still greenish-gray. Moreover, the olive shade is very rich. But a few minutes pass, the sunlight becomes brighter, the temperature is higher, and now a yellow-brown moloch is sitting on the ground. The lizard will retain this coloration until darkness falls and the temperature drops.

Burying in the sand

They chose desert sandy soils for their habitat. They can bury themselves entirely in the ground. The flat body easily sinks into the sand from quick movements. How so? Such scary animals, but is there a need to bury themselves in the sand?

Outwardly they are scary, but they cannot cause any harm to anyone. Except for ants, which eat up to several thousand per day. Having settled down near the ant trail, they collect them with their sticky tongue.

They are so slow and harmless that nature gave them a second head as protection from enemies. It is well known that any lizard can escape if an enemy grabs it by the tail. She will easily part with him, and the tail will then grow back. But this is not our moloch (lizard). A false head is what he will give to the predator who attacks him without hesitation. Having tilted the real one lower, the moloch exposes the horn-like growths on the neck to the enemy’s teeth, which save him. By the way, this may also be why it was once believed that Molochs were scary animals. You might really think so, because his head was bitten off, but he remained alive. So what to do? You have to be smart, otherwise you won’t live 20 years when there are monitor lizards, snakes, birds all around - and they are all faster, stronger and larger.

Accumulation

Usually, the inhabitants of deserts and semi-deserts have a secret for accumulating or economically using water. Moloch also has this. The lizard can store moisture due to the hygroscopicity of its skin: numerous spines significantly increase its surface. The entire area of ​​the skin of a 22-centimeter reptile absorbs water.

And it increases significantly in size, by about 30 percent. Scientists were able to find out and understand how Moloch then spends this moisture only with the help of modern instruments. Under the keratinized scutes there are microscopic channels through which water moves into the mouth of the miracle lizard as needed. With the onset of the driest periods, the moloch takes refuge in the sand and hibernates.

Pairing

In spring, which in the southern hemisphere begins in September, males begin searching for a sexually mature female. Since reptiles do not form pairs, after fertilization the female independently finds a suitable burrow, where she lays up to 10 eggs. It will camouflage the masonry and bury it almost all day long. It will take about 100-130 days before the small and absolutely helpless “horned devils” hatch. Really, what kind of devils are there if their length is half a centimeter and their weight is 2 grams? At first they will feed on the shells of the eggs from which they hatched, then they will begin to climb to the surface. Molochs grow slowly, until they reach sexual maturity and the required 22 centimeters of height, it will take 5 years.

Such prolonged maturation is not good for lizards. Australian zoologists are forced to fence off the clutches, which gives little Molochs the opportunity to leave them alive and healthy. For now, this work allows us to preserve the only representative of this interesting species.

Moloch, or the thorny dragon, or the thorny devil (Moloch horridus)- a small lizard, a member of the agamidae family, living in the sandy desert of Western and Central Australia.

Description

Thanks to the large spines covering the entire body of the animal, the moloch is an easily recognizable lizard. With the exception of two large spines on the head, the rest of the spines are boneless. The entire body of the moloch is covered with thick scutes and spiny cones, and is also dotted with golden and brown spots, which serve as excellent camouflage in arid habitats. On the thorny dragon's head there are two horn-like spikes, and at the base of the neck the spikes form a cushion-like growth. Even the ventral surface is covered with small conical formations. For a long time it was assumed that the spiny armor of the moloch was a purely defensive function, protecting the lizards from predators. However, the complex surface structure of the thorny devil's skin also helps the animal accumulate, store and direct water to the corners of its mouth. The color of the moloch's skin changes depending on the ambient temperature; in the morning it is brownish or olive, and as the temperature rises in the afternoon it becomes light yellow. Observations suggest that they use postural changes to regulate the physiological state of the body.

Females are usually larger than males. The body weight of females ranges from 33 to 89 g (average 46 g), and body length without tail is from 8 to 11 cm (average 9 cm). The weight of males varies from 31 to 49 g, and the body length is 7.8-9.6 cm. The body weight of a moloch during the year can either increase or decrease by up to 30%. Oviposition in females leads to a significant loss of mass, which can quickly recover in a short period (up to 40% in 1-2 months). Males and females hatch from eggs with approximately equal body sizes, and grow at the same rate until one year of age. Then, females begin to grow faster, and at 5 years of age, growth stops.

Area

The Thorny Dragon is found in the Great Sandy Desert of western and central Australia.

Habitat

Moloch lives in areas with exclusively sandy or sandy loam soil. Typical vegetation for these habitats is spinifex grass and flat-leaved acacia.

Reproduction

Little information is known about the mating system of the Moloch lizard. Limited observations indicate that males approach females they believe are receptive to mating and bump heads. If the female is not receptive, she lies down and curls up to throw off the male.

The breeding season for thorny devils occurs at the end of winter (August-December). Females lay eggs in burrows up to 15 cm long and up to 22 cm deep. These burrows differ from the usual moloch shelters and are often located on the southern side of sandy ridges. Females lay 3 to 10 (average 8) eggs, which incubate for 90-132 (average 118) days. After laying eggs, females fall asleep and smooth the surface of the burrow to hide the clutch from predators. Newborn molochs weigh about 1.8 g. Before hatching, the cubs eat the shell of their egg.

Lifespan

The lifespan of a moloch is 6-20 years.

Nutrition

Thorny dragons are myrmecophagous - animals that feed exclusively on ants. Their diet mainly consists of ants of the genera Iridomyrmex (especially Iridiomyrmex rufoniger) and Crematogaster. Also, sometimes the menu is supplemented with ants from the genera Ectatomma, Monomorium, Camponotus, Pheidole and Polyrhachis. Moloch sits in ambush and waits for the ants to pass nearby. For feeding, they choose areas near herbaceous and shrubby plants. Active nutrition begins at temperatures above 24 degrees Celsius. In some areas, moloch feeds in the morning (before 11 a.m.) or in the afternoon (from 3 to 6 p.m.). Since ants have relatively low nutritional value due to their high chitin content, lizards need to eat a lot of ants. The thorny dragon's large belly is well adapted to eating large quantities of food, and it is estimated that they eat about 750 ants per day. The average feeding rate of a moloch is 2.9 ants per minute, but instances of consuming 1 ant per second have been recorded. Research shows that lizards absorb about 59% of the metabolizable energy of their prey. Their fecal pellets are oval, black and shiny, and crumble easily due to ant-like exoskeletons.

Moloch uses its complex skin structure to direct water to its mouth by capillary force. The base of the spine is surrounded by deep channels that effectively collect water, and then the water, as if through capillaries, even against gravity, is directed to the corners of the animal's mouth. These lizards live in extremely dry areas and the condensation of water on the surface of the body is a consequence of adaptation to difficult environmental conditions.

Behavior

The thorny dragon can remain active over a wide range of body temperatures. The average body temperature of this lizard is 28.3 degrees Celsius. The greatest activity occurs in the fall (from March to May) and the end of winter (from August to December). They become almost completely inactive during the heat of summer (January-February) and the coldest months (June-July).

The Moloch lizard is not a territorial animal and does not have assigned territories. The habitat ranges of individual individuals overlap widely. The average distance that thorny dragons travel in one day is 77.9 m, but some individuals move more than 500 m. On average, males move more than females.

Communication and perception

It is assumed that Moloch uses visual cues to move in space.

Predators

Although the thorny devil is covered with sharp spines and is well camouflaged in its environment, these lizards sometimes become prey for the Australian bustard, humans, black buzzard and monitor lizard. When the moloch feels threatened, it sticks its head between its front paws, which prevents the predator from stroking it.

Role in the ecosystem

The main role of molochs in the ecosystem is to control the ant population of the regions where they live. They coexist with other insectivorous lizards, however, the thorny dragon's diet is more generalized than that of other species.

Economic significance for humans: positive and negative

Thorny dragons are very popular in zoos due to their specific appearance. They are also used for scientific research and educational purposes.

There is no confirmed data on the adverse economic effects of moloch on humans.

Security status

Moloch is not included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list.

Video

Horned (or spiny) devil... this is what the Moloch lizard, which belongs to the agama family, is called in Australia.

Its first description, made in 1841, belongs to researcher John Gray. The animal received its name in honor of a deity named Moloch, one of the characters in pagan mythology. Why did the reptile come to be called the horned devil? Let's take a closer look at this creature, maybe it's his appearance?

What does Moloch look like?

At first glance, this animal looks menacing.

The body, the length of which in an adult can reach 20 cm, is quite dense and wide. The head of the moloch is small in size, the muzzle is blunt. The entire body, strewn with short, curved horny spines, is supported by short but strong legs.

The toes have claws.

Above the eyes there are large, frightening-looking growths; the same ones are found on the limbs of the lizard, only in a smaller form.

The back is painted yellow-brown, which is diluted with dark spots. Dark patterned stripes adorn the belly, which has an ocher color.

Where does Moloch live?

Individuals of this species are common in semi-deserts and deserts of Australia, especially in its central and western regions.

Horned Devil Lifestyle

This lizard is quite slow, slowly, holding its tail up or straight, it moves through areas with sparse vegetation. She doesn't really have anywhere to hide. Therefore, depending on the light and temperature, the lizard is perfectly camouflaged, almost like a chameleon, changing its color to match the color of the sand.

In warm weather, when they are active, the color of these reptiles is pale yellow or orange, but when they are alarmed or it becomes cool, their skin color becomes dark olive.

During the day, this reptile is very active. If necessary, it digs a shallow hole and hides in the sand. These lizards live alone, each of them has a small territory of 30 square meters, where they get their food and rest.

What is most striking is that these lizards have a hygroscopic system in the form of grooves in the skin leading to the corners of the animal’s mouth. Water that accumulates during dew or fog moves along the grooves, directly into the moloch’s mouth. This liquid is enough for him to do without a source of water.

In hot weather and winter, he prefers to spend time in his hole.

Eating Moloch

In the wild, the only food for these lizards is lizards, which the moloch obtains with the help of a sticky tongue.

Finding your own “lunch” is not difficult at all. You just need to find the ant trail, settle down on it and eat in peace. Moreover, in one day, the number of ants eaten by Moloch can reach several thousand units.

Lizard reproduction in nature

In the spring, when the mating season begins, males go looking for a suitable mate. After fertilization, the female independently looks for a hole, where she lays from 4 to 8 eggs. The female carefully camouflages the nest and covers it with sand. Sometimes this important task takes the Moloch lizard the whole day.

Small lizards will be born in 3.5 - 4 months. Their birth weight is only 2 grams, and their body length is 6 mm.

The babies' first food will be the shells of their eggs. After some time they will begin to climb to the surface. Since Moloch babies grow very slowly, they will reach their “adult” size only after 5 years, while at the same time their sexual maturity occurs after three years.

The average lifespan of a horned devil is 20 years.

Who is Moloch's enemy?

Despite their seemingly terrifying appearance and excellent camouflage, these reptiles very often become the prey of birds, snakes and.

His only defense is the thorns and growths that he exposes by lowering his head down. In addition, the moloch, inhaling a large amount of air, increases the size of its body. Someone will probably be frightened by the appearance of the lizard and will not mess with it, but there are also predators who do not care what their future lunch or dinner looks like.

Your name Moloch lizard inherited from the pagan god Moloch, in whose honor (if you believe the myths) human sacrifices were performed in ancient times.

John Gray, who discovered this species in 1814, embodied in the name a terrible association with an ancient evil god, since the little one itself looks very scary thanks to the numerous spikes on the body, tail and head.

The appearance of the reptile is very specific when compared with other lizards. The head of the moloch is small and narrow, while the body, on the contrary, is wide, dense, covered with small horny spines.

Above the eyes and on the neck of the reptile there are small horns formed from the same spikes. The legs are wide and strong with large toes, capable of rapid movement, however, most often the reptile moves slowly.

Moloch looks especially amazing due to its unusual “spotted” color - the upper body can be any dark shade of brown or red with dark spots and a narrow light stripe in the middle, the underside can be light with dark stripes.

The color can change depending on the air temperature and the surrounding background, so the moloch instantly adapts to changes in the environment for camouflage. An adult specimen can reach a length of 22 cm. You can meet the moloch only in Australia; the reptile lives in deserts and semi-deserts.

Sometimes this species is confused with other squamate, so Moloch and Spinetail are like lizards They are similar in behavior, have a dense body and are covered with spines, but there are also differences - the spiny tail, as the name of the reptile says, has spines only on the tail and the color of its body can be much more varied than shades of brown.

Usually Moloch lizard in the photo It looks like a toy, as it is small in size and can easily fit in the palm of your hand. The female reaches 10 - 11 cm in length, its weight can vary from 30 to 90 grams, males - up to 9.5 cm in length and weigh 50 grams.

Care and lifestyle of Moloch

Moloch is active exclusively during daylight hours. Waking up in the morning, the reptile first takes sunbathing to raise its body temperature, which has dropped during the night, then goes to the place that serves as its toilet and only relieves itself there.

Movements, as a rule, are slow, movement is carried out on outstretched legs and a raised or horizontal tail, which almost never touches the ground.

The scaly leads a solitary lifestyle, having its own territory for hunting and recreation. This space is usually limited to 30 square meters. meters with separate places for toileting, resting, sleeping, camouflage and eating.

Moloch digs small holes, and can also, being on soft ground, urgently bury itself completely in a moment of danger. If the reptile is on solid ground, its main task is to hide its head from the enemy, and it masterfully does this by bending its head down and putting forward a thorny growth on its neck, which acts as a “false head”, thereby deceiving the attacker.

This system works well - after all, if a predator bites not the real, but the false head, there will be no fear, moreover, the false limb is covered with sharp spines, that is, the enemy will still not be able to finish his job.

Birds of prey and monitor lizards are considered the scaly's natural enemies. It would seem that the lizard’s spiked body is not afraid of strong claws and beak, however, despite its formidable appearance, it is an absolutely harmless creature that does not have a chance to survive in a fight with a predator, since it has neither a poisonous bite nor sharp claws.

Also, in defense Moloch can be inflated with air to increase its size, change color up to dark brown and freeze motionless for a long time for camouflage.

Due to its unusual appearance, many terrarium lovers would like buy a moloch lizard However, this reptile is not adapted to life in captivity and requires very specific care.

Eating Moloch

Moloch uses exclusively foraging ants as food. The hunting process consists of finding an ant trail. Usually several such trails pass through the lizard's territory.

Having come to an already familiar place of eating, the moloch settles down nearby and with its sticky tongue catches passing ants (the scaly one makes an exception only for insects that carry a large burden). In one day, a reptile can swallow several thousand ants.

The process of Moloch receiving liquid is also unusual. He doesn't drink in the usual sense of the word. The lizard's entire body is covered with small channels through which moisture that gets on the body moves to the paste and swallows it. Thus, the moloch receives the amount of moisture it needs only from morning dew. After entering the water, the mass of the reptile can increase by 30%.

Reproduction and lifespan of Moloch

The mating season lasts from September to December. At this time, males begin to look for companions, for which they are able to cover enormous distances, leaving their permanent place of residence (which they do not do under any other circumstances).

Immediately after mating, young dads return to their previous measured life, but expectant mothers have a difficult task - to find and carefully camouflage the hole where she will lay her eggs. After laying, the female also camouflages the hole from the outside and covers up all traces leading to the secret place.

The number of eggs laid can vary from 3 to 10, the cubs appear after 3.5 - 4 months. The babies weigh 2 grams and are 6 millimeters in length, but even with such microscopic dimensions they immediately resemble an adult.

Having hatched from the egg, they eat the shell, and then begin their journey up from the hole. To achieve the size of the parents of a small lizard Moloch, already similar to dragon it will take about 5 years. The lifespan of a moloch in the wild is 20 years.