Agama (lizard)
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[Photo] Red-headed rock agama (Agama agama) in Kenya. English: Male Red-headed Rock Agama (Agama agama) taken in August 2005, in Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya. Fran??ais : Marguillat m??le (Agama agama). Parc National du Lac Nakuru, K??nya. Date August 2005. Author: Chris_huh http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Chris_huh

An agama is any one of the various small, long-tailed, insect-eating lizards of the genus Agama. The agamid genus is composed of at least 31 species across Africa.

One of the best known species is the red-headed rock agama (Agama agama), widespread in sub-Saharan Africa. Its original habitat is the savanna, but today it also lives within villages and towns. These agamas form groups of ten to twenty. The "leader" is an old male, while females and young males constitute the other members of the group. The colour is dark brown at night, but after dawn the colours of the dominant male will change: the body becomes light blue, head and tail bright orange. These colours may change again depending on the dominant male's mood. For instance, if male agamas fight, their heads will turn brown, and white spots appear on their body. Fights take place when a foreign agama male appears. It will try to dispute the leadership of the dominant male. When fighting, agamas hiss and attempt to hit each other's head with their tail. These strokes may be very violent and often result in haematomas or fractured jaws.

The females in the group are entirely brown. Often there is a highest-ranking female that remains in proximity to the leading male and struggles to repel other females.

Species
The following species are classified within the genus Agama:

Agama aculeata
Agama agama (agama lizard)
Agama anchietae
Agama armata
Agama atra
Agama bocourti
Agama bottegi
Agama boueti
Agama boulengeri
Agama caudospinosa
Agama cornii
Agama doriae
Agama etoshae
Agama gracilimembris
Agama hartmanni
Agama hispida
Agama impalearis
Agama insularis
Agama kirkii
Agama mehelyi
Agama montana
Agama mossambica
Agama mwanzae
Agama paragama
Agama persimilis
Agama planiceps
Agama robecchii
Agama rueppelli
Agama sankaranica
Agama spinosa
Agama weidholzi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agama_%28lizard%29

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