Northern Curly-tailed Lizard
Leiocephalus carinatus
They curl their tails over their backs to signal to predators that they have been spotted, or to distract them into attacking the replaceable tail instead of the head.
- Scientific name
- Leiocephalus carinatus
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Reptilia › Squamata › Leiocephalidae › Leiocephalus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- increasing
- Biome
- urban
- Habitat
- Coastal scrub, sandy beaches, rocky shorelines, gardens, parks, and urban seawalls or sidewalks.
- Diet
- Omnivorous, feeding on insects, spiders, flowers, berries, and smaller lizards like anoles.
- Range
- Bahamas, Cuba, Cayman Islands, United States (Florida)
- Size
- 5 to 11 inches (13 to 28 cm) in length
- Lifespan
- 3-6 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Highly resilient with no major threats; expanding its invasive range in Florida while remaining secure in its native Caribbean range.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to humans. They are wary and will quickly flee if approached. If caught, they may pinch with a harmless bite that rarely breaks the skin. Observe from a distance of 3-5 feet to watch their unique tail-curling display. If bitten, wash the area with soap and water.
Leiocephalus carinatus , commonly known as the northern curly-tailed lizard , is a species of lizard in the family Leiocephalidae (curly-tailed lizards).
Photo: Dani E Pérez, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
Plain-text version: /species/2edea24f-6969-4acd-8e1e-29acfca1f9fb.md