Herptiles

Acanthosaura lepidogaster

Scale-bellied Tree Lizard

Acanthosaura lepidogaster (Cuvier, 1829)

Basic info

Common names
  • Rough-bellied Mountain Horned Dragon
  • Brown Pricklenape
  • Scale-bellied Tree Lizard
Species nameAcanthosaura lepidogaster
Scientific nameAcanthosaura lepidogaster (Cuvier, 1829)
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Squamata
Agamidae
Acanthosaura lepidogaster
Max SVL 4.4 inch

Further Reading

Temperatures & Season

Day time temperatures

Background summer23 - 28 °F
Background winter18 - 22 °F
Basking spot30 - 32 °F

Night time temperatures

Background summer18 - 22 °F
Background winter14 - 18 °F

Season

Winter treatmentcooling
Photoperiod summer13 hours
Photoperiod winter11 hours

Microhabitats

Microhabitats are specific small habitats that an organism inhabits within its broader environment. These can vary greatly depending on the species and can give us insights into the preferred living conditions of each reptile. Understanding these microhabitats can be key to providing the correct care for these animals in captivity.

  • Sa
    Semi-arboreal

Ferguson Zones

Ferguson Zones are a way to classify the amount of UV light that reptiles are exposed to in their natural habitats. These zones help us understand and replicate their natural light conditions in captivity, promoting the health and wellbeing of the reptiles. Below, we detail the specific Ferguson Zones of the Chinese Water Dragon, along with recommendations for replicating these conditions

The Ferguson Zone in which the Scale-bellied Tree Lizard has been placed has been chosen based upon an assessment of its typical basking behaviour and likely microhabitat in the wild.

1
Crepuscular or share dweller
UVI range avarage: 0-0.7, UVI max recorded: 0.6-1.4

Recommended lighting methods in captivity

Shade method

This method provides low-level 'background' UV at levels matching the Ferguson Zone Range, over a large portion of the enclosure. The highlighted area in the table below represents this range for the Scale-bellied Tree Lizard.

1
2
3
4
1
2
3

More in-depth information about Ferguson zones can be found here: https://jzar.org/jzar/article/view/150

Community collected distribution (820 occurrences)

Biomes

These are the biomes the Scale-bellied Tree Lizard was found in. Click here to learn more about terrestrial ecoregions and biomes.

More species to explore

Green Pricklenape

Acanthosaura capra (Günther, 1861)

Explore Species
Chinese Water Dragon

Physignathus cocincinus (Cuvier, 1829)

Oriental Garden Lizard

Calotes versicolor (Daudin, 1802)

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References

  1. Baines, F.M., Chattell, J., Dale, J., Garrick, D., Gill, I., Goetz, M., Skelton, T. and Swatman, M. 2016. How much UVB does my reptile need? The UV-Tool, a guide to the selection of UV lighting for reptiles and amphibians in captivity. Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research. 4, 1 (Jan. 2016), 42–63. DOI:https://doi.org/10.19227/jzar.v4i1.150.
  2. Acanthosaura lepidogaster (Cuvier, 1829) in GBIF Secretariat (2021). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei accessed via GBIF.org
  3. Cuvier, G. J. L. N. F. D. Le Regne Animal Distribué, d’apres son Organisation, pur servir de base à l’Histoire naturelle des Animaux et d’introduction à l’Anatomie Comparé. Nouvelle Edition [second edition]. Vol. 2. Les Reptiles.
  4. Blackwell, Publishing & Ltd, & Meiri, Shai. (2008). Evolution and ecology of lizard body sizes. Global Ecology and Biogeography. 17. 724-. 10.1111/j.1466-8238.2008.00414.x.
  5. iNaturalist. Available from https://www.inaturalist.org
This website is created by Jefrim Keijzer | All species