Kingdom Animalia Family Lacertidae Genus Heliobolus Order Scaled reptiles | Class Reptilia Phylum Chordata Rank Species | |
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Similar Heliobolus, Pedioplanis, Ichnotropis squamulosa, Scaled reptiles, Nucras | ||
Heliobolus lugubris, also known commonly as the bushveld lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is native to southern Africa.
Mimicry
Juveniles of H. lugubris are black with light spots and move with a hunched gait, mimicking the appearance of Anthia ground beetles. This mimicry is thought to discourage predation, as the beetles spray formic acid as a defense mechanism and are thus less appealing targets for predators. This is one of very few recorded examples of a vertebrate mimicking an invertebrate.
References
Heliobolus lugubris Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA