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Keeping Cool
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
I saw this little character in a narrow siq in Maaloula just after noon on a very hot day. I had seen several of his cousins scampering about, but they dashed whenever I got close. So, I crept on him by degrees over the course of half an hour. Maybe I was cagey enough, and maybe he just didn’t want to climb up out of the stream where he was cooling his tail. If you look closely, you can see where the water circles his right rear leg and his tail.
If anyone can identify him for me, I'd be quite happy.
PP: Scanned, despeckled and sized for posting. |
mbaqir has marked this note useful
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Hi Silke
Nice shot. Your note is great. Did a Workshop. Hope you will like it.
I think subject is cute and congratulations on getting such lively little critter at all.I think Bettys comment is classic example of what this is all about, information was needed and someone was there to provide it,and do it well.Thanks to both of you for the shot and identification.
Diane
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 727 W: 98 N: 1694]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif){kind=small}
![Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Workshop Editor [C: 23 W: 71 N: 0]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/s-g-n.gif){kind=small}
![Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 11 W: 0 N: 10]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/s-n-s.gif)
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Hey Silke, your lizard is Laudakia stellio picea (Parker, 1935)
Common name: Black agama.
Range: Jordan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia.
Distribution in Jordan: Northern Al-Ruished, Qasr Burqu, Jawa, Sabbah, Safawi, Subhiya, and Umm al Jimal.
Habitat: L. s. picea inhabits the black lava desert which extends from Syria in the north through Jordan to northern Saudi Arabia. It is found in rocky areas and crevices that provide shelter. Parker (1933), Daan (1967) and Werner (1991, 1992) indicated that this melanistic lizard is endemic to this lava desert. Preliminary results showed that this subspecies is completely isolated from L. s. stellio, and no overlapping occurs.
(copied from http://www.nic.gov.jo/biodiversity/)
Looks like it's a female (darker coloration) but I'm not sure, anyways you've managed to capture quite a special species with a good composition :) TFS