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Reptiles
Emerald swift
Emerald swift · Sceloporus malachiticus
Emerald swifts shine like jewels on tree trunks and shimmer in tropical mountain forests in the sunlight.
Fact file
- Size
- Maximum length around 22 cm, about two thirds of which is tail; weighs up to 25 grams
- Males and females
- Males more colourful and with blue throat patches, females more subtly coloured
- Sounds
- Silent, uses body language such as head-nodding and press-ups
- Diet
- Hunts insects and spiders, occasionally smaller invertebrates
- Offspring
- Gives birth to live young, usually 2 to 6 per litter, after around 3 months of gestation
How to identify Emerald swift
The emerald swift wears a magnificent turquoise-green coat of scales. Males often show glossy emerald-green tones with bright blue or turquoise spots along the flanks and on the belly. Females and juveniles are a little more subdued in colour, usually with more brown and olive tones, plus a dark pattern along the back and pale side stripes.
This lizard looks slender and has a pointed head. The spiny scales on its back give it a rough, reptilian appearance. Seldom longer than 22 centimetres including the tail, the emerald swift weighs barely more than 25 grams. Its long, thin tail is clearly longer than the body itself.
More in the app
With Wildful Stories+ you also get in the app:
- general viewing tips
Where Emerald swift live
Discover Emerald swift on your trip.
The app shows you where and when to see wildlife along your route.
