Species information
Scientific name: Takydromus smaragdinus
Japanese name: アオカナヘビ
Chinese name: 翡翠草蜥
English name: Green grass lizard
Origin: Takarajima and Kotakarajima in the Tokara Islands, Amami Oshima, Kikaijima, Tokunoshima, Okinoerabujima, the Okinawa Islands, Kumejima
Ecology and description
The green grass lizard is endemic to Japan and lives on some islands of the central Ryukyus. The total length is about 20-30cm, with a long tail. The back is green to yellowish green, the underside is whitish to pale yellow, and a thin pale line runs along each side of the body. Males develop a brown band on the sides and have a brownish tail, while females are green overall, but there is a lot of variation between individuals and regions. For example, on Tokunoshima both sexes are green.
It used to be common in sugarcane fields and house gardens, but its numbers have declined in recent years, and it is classified as Near Threatened (NT) in the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment. Development, pesticides, and predation by introduced small Indian mongooses and Japanese weasels are all causes, and the situation differs from island to island.
Reference: アオカナヘビ (herpetology.raindrop.jp)
Field photographs taken during our tours, with observation dates
