Emerald Swift (Sceloporus malachiticus)

Appearance

Emerald swifts are distinctly bright green in color, with males typically being more striking than females, having bright blue patches on either side of the belly. They grow from 6-8 inches in length. Like other species in the genus "Sceloporus", their scales tend to be fairly stiff and heavily keeled, giving them a spiny texture.

green-lizard-sceloporus-malachiticus specially for John.
Taken in the garden Costa Rica,Emerald Swift,Geotagged,LensTagger,Sceloporus malachiticus,Summer,garden animals,green lizard,lizard,reptile,sceloporus-malachiticus

Distribution

The emerald swift is found from Mexico's Yucatan region, to Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.

Poorly-camouflaged Emerald Swift (Sceloporus malachiticus) in Monteverde, Costa Rica This brightly-colored lizard was hiding from the world by clinging to the wooden frame of a shed on a coffee plantation. If it were in the forest, it might blend in, but it most certainly did not blend in here. Costa Rica,Emerald swift,Geotagged,Sceloporus malachiticus,Summer

Behavior

Emerald swifts are diurnal, arboreal lizards. In the early morning they forage for insects, and then spend much of the day basking in the sun. They will retreat to a burrow, or under a rock or log if the temperature becomes too high or to sleep. Their life spans are believed to be between three and five years. Unlike most iguanid lizards, emerald swifts are ovoviviparous, giving birth to six to 15 young yearly.

References:

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Taxonomy
Kingdom	Animalia
Division	Chordata
Class	Reptilia
Order	Squamata
Family	Phrynosomatidae
Genus	Sceloporus
Species	S. malachiticus

Photographed in
Costa Rica