Ameiva quadrilineata, Costa Rica.JPG 805 × 1,012; 366 KB. Thanks to sharp claws on their hind legs, iguanas are excellent climbers. USA: 408-215-1000, Address: Their behaviour is a further sign: caimans are generally shyer. With a speed of 35 km/h the Costa Rican “ctenosaura similis” actually attained the local sprint record. Four sea turtle species can be found in Costa Rica: the green, hawksbill, olive ridley and leatherback turtles. A specific characteristic of sea turtles is that their legs developed into flippers. Reptiles arose in the Palaeozoic Era, 300 million years ago. Experienced snakes know that humans are too big to eat; if snakes waste their poison on such a species they might have to spend the next couple of days without food – until new venom is produced). Reptiles arose in the Palaeozoic Era, 300 million years ago. Their swift movements on the wall, the bird-like sounds they utter and the amount of mosquitoes and cockroaches they devour make them our favourite house lizards. 32 km from San Ramon, Alajuela Green turtles are found on both coasts. With maximum lengths of over 3 metres, the bushmaster is the largest venomous snake of the Neotropics. Unlike most vipers, bushmasters don’t give birth to live young, but lay clutches of around 10 eggs. Of about 600 iguanid species, 38 can be found in Costa Rica. It is therefore fundamental to implicate this knowledge and make sure that beach areas are protected where similar amounts of male and female turtles will hatch.). Some 23 crocodile species (crocodiles, alligators, caimans) dwell in most sub-tropical and tropical areas of the world. Lizards are mostly carnivorous and insectivorous but some larger ones eat plants. Colubrids – of which most are unpoisonous – are the most common snakes. This arboreal snake can be found in trees and vines and prefer moist climate. Not more than 5% of these young turtles survive their first days of life as they are yet unprotected (their shells being soft). Green iguanas spend most of their lazy lives on trees, but are also good swimmers. They nest between July-October on the Atlantic and from October-March on the Pacific coast. La diversidad de la fauna de Costa Rica, incluyendo los grupos de reptiles, contribuye a la estabilidad de los ecosistemas naturales. They are easy to spot due to their– as the name tells – green colour. List of reptiles in Costa Rica Lizards Family Corytophanidae. A fascinating attribute of reptiles is that their sex is largely determined by the temperature at which the eggs develop in the ground. It is hard to distinguish them, but the main difference is the lack of venom-injecting fangs on the upper jaw. They can be observed on the Pacific coast between October and March, when they come to lay their eggs. Eyelash vipers are tame and not known to bite humans deliberately. The snake is called Terciopelo in Costa Rica and mostly feeds on mammals like birds or opossums. They mostly feed on plants, but are omnivorous and eat insects, small mammals and lizards. Pit vipers include the notorious Fer de Lance, the Eyelash Viper, the Bushmaster and the neotropical rattlesnake. tail) but more active than green iguanas and hence better hunters. REPTILES DE COSTA RICA. Costa Rica ha desempeñado un papel fundamental en el estudio de la biología tropical, así como en el desarrollo del ecoturismo. Four sea turtle species can be found in Costa Rica: the green, hawksbill, olive ridley and leatherback turtles. Four sea turtle species can be found in Costa Rica: the green, hawksbill, olive ridley andleatherback turtles. Many lizards have an interesting self-preserving mechanism:when grabbed forcefully by the tail, they can break it off. Thanks to sharp claws on their hind legs, iguanas are excellent climbers. Colubrids – of which most are unpoisonous – are the most common snakes. Note that pretty much all crocodilian species are threatened or endangered. It’s true that there are dangerous reptiles in Costa Rica, and we must always be wary of them. 100) are deposited in a hole half a meter under ground. They are able to retreat their feet and head into the shell for protection. Marine turtles are probably most famous for their breeding habits: every 2-4 years the females come ashore the same beaches they have been born on to lay eggs. The Fer de Lance (terciopelo) is a large specie, responsible for most bites in the country. But they are able to bite without injecting any (or only little) venom. As they lack dorsal spines, they are more resembling to female iguanas than males. Later, when the shell hardens, the survival of adult turtles ranges around 80%. The American crocodile is a large crocodilian that can reach lengths up to 7 metres (4 m being average adult size). Chironius exoletus: Serpiente de ltigo verde Informacin taxonmica Reino: Filo: Clase: Orden: Familia: Nombre cientfico:. This is because all crocodilians and many turtles and lizards do not have the sex-determining X or Y chromosomes. Ctenosaurs, however lack the peculiar head spines and crest (but they do have spines on their back) and are of darker colours. Their length is usually between 5-10 cm without tail (double that with tail; because lizards can drop their tail, they are measured from snout to vent). Bathers will be happy to know that leatherbacks feed mainly on jellyfish. geckos). Leatherback turtle is the largest and most impressive turtle specie with lengths up to 2.5 m and weights up to 1 ton! The Fer de Lance is of brownish colour with diagonal stripes and diamonds and reaches lengths around 2 metres. With a speed of 35 km/h the Costa Rican “ctenosaura similis” actually attained the local sprint record. Turtles are a 200 million year old species that can be divided in water (sea/freshwater) and land turtles.Their characteristic feature is the shell, which consists of two layers: an inner layer of bone and an outer layer of scale-like plates. The eggs (ca. Breeding occurs during dry season, when the female lays clutches of ca. Pit vipers are named that way due to the cavities between their nostrils – heat sensitive organs to detect other creatures. It is the most widespread crocodilian in the world and can be found on both the Caribbean and Pacific slopes of Costa Rica. Tail included, they can grow longer than 2 metres and weigh up to 10 kg. There are 162 snake species in Costa Rica, of which 22 are poisonous. Green turtles are found on both coasts. The Caiman is generally shy and of small size (up to 2.5 m).