''Takydromus toyamai'' ( ミヤコカナヘビ), also known commonly as the Miyako grass lizard, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of lizard in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Lacertidae. The species is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

to the

Ryukyu Islands The , also known as the or the , are a chain of Japanese islands that stretch southwest from Kyushu to Taiwan: the Ōsumi, Tokara, Amami, Okinawa, and Sakishima Islands (further divided into the Miyako and Yaeyama Islands), with Yona ...

Etymology

The specific name, ''toyamai'', is in honor of Japanese herpetologist Masanao Toyama.Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Takydromus toyamai'', p. 267).

Description

''T. toyamai'' rarely exceeds in total length, most of which is tail. It is usually green, while some juveniles can be brown.

Behavior and diet

''T. toyamai'' is an active lizard, coming out during the day to forage for small insects.

Reproduction

''T. toyami'' is oviparous.

Geographic range

''T. toyamai'' is found in the

Miyako Islands The (also Miyako Jima group) are a group of islands in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, belonging to the Ryukyu Islands. They are situated between the Okinawa Island and Yaeyama Islands. In the early 1870s, the population of the islands was est ...

in the southern Ryukyu Islands.

Habitat

The preferred natural

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

s of ''T. toyamai'' are

grassland A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses ( Poaceae). However, sedge ( Cyperaceae) and rush ( Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur na ...

, shrubland, and

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

Conservation status

''T. toyamai'' is listed as endangered by the IUCN due to deforestation, and the introduction of peacocks and weasels.

In captivity

If kept as a pet, the Miyako grass lizard likes the temperature to be around during the day, and degrees at night. It prefers the humidity to be around 78%.

References

* Arnold EN (1997). "Interrelationships and evolution of the east Asian grass lizards, ''Takydromus'' (Squamata: Lacertidae)". ''Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society'' 119 (2): 267–296. * Schlüter U (2003). ''Die Langschwanzeidechsen der Gattung'' Takydromus. Karlsruhe, Germany: Kirschner & Seufer Verlag. 110 pp. . (''Takydromus toyamai'', p. 98). (in German). *Takeda, Nobuyuki; Ota, Hidetoshi (1996). "Description of a New Species of ''Takydromus'' from the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan, and a Taxonomic Redefinition of ''T. smaragdinus'' Boulenger 1887 (Reptilia: Lacertidae)". ''Herpetologica'' 52 (1): 77–88. (''Takydromus toyamai'', new species). Takydromus Reptiles of Japan Endemic fauna of the Ryukyu Islands Reptiles described in 1996 Taxa named by Nobuyuki Takeda Taxa named by Hidetoshi Ota {{Lacertidae-stub