Tegu Toes

[dragonmetalhead]

Does anyone know why tegus and other lizards have such funky digital proportions on their hind limbs? I always get asked why he has such long toes and I honestly have no idea why. I assume there's a perfectly good biological explanation . . .

 

[HeatherN]

some lizard use them to run on water, others as very effective climbing tools. id imagine if they had shorter toes, it would even slow down their running speed significantly, and not allow them to run upright. i haven't taken amy zoology or herp classes yet though. v.v

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

The first thing that comes to mind is climbing. Like most lizards they spend a lot of time climbing when they're young and need those toes to be flexible for gripping and holding on to things. I've seen them bent and twisted in some awkward positions that the site of would probably make some people pass out if it were their own.

Anytime I've held one and they don't feel secure they don't hesitate to latch them toes onto you.

 

[reptastic]

You also have to factor in digging, they dig burrow so I'm assuming they use them the same way crocodilian do when building nests

 

[HeatherN]

i do agree that the toes to seem to make good shovels. though, crocs and alligators have short, stout toes. webbed as well.

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and on iguanas and similar climbing lizards, they're perfectly suited for the task of climbing, but even burrowing terrestrial lizards like tegus have those long little toes

 

[got10]

since lizard legs stick out of the bodies to the side as opposed to under it as in mammals ,it would serve that the long toes would help in traction to grip onto the terrain much better.

 

[laurarfl]

Arboreal when younger

 

[HeatherN]

they just have all kinds of uses!

 

[tresh]

I think that it's traction for them. I know when I'm holding Ammy, she doesn't use her toes, but when she's trying to get somewhere, she's like a little roadrunner with how she digs into the carpet and speeds away as fast as she can.

 

[larissalurid]

I've seen tree monitors also use their long fingers as hands, reaching into pieces of wood to grab insects out which is quite interesting behavior. :]