What is Laodracon carsticola?

About Laodracon carsticola

• It is a newly discovered species of dragon lizard.
• It has been discovered to live only in the karstic massifs of Khammouan Province, central Laos.
• It possesses extraordinary camouflage abilities.
• It belongs to the mainland Asian subfamily Draconinae. This subfamily contains around 256 species that all live across Asia.
• The lizards within this family are typically omnivores, with the species spread across tree-living and ground-living habitats. 
• Features:
  • It measures around 101 millimeters (3.9 inches) long and has slate gray and black scales with blue coloration on their throats and blue/gray bellies.
  • It can be told apart from other species by the noticeably swollen base of the tail.
  • The body scales exhibit pronounced rough scales, which could serve to help it climb the steep limestone pinnacles on which it lives.
  • The lizards are suspected to have a diet of ants. 

What is a Karst Terrain?

• It is typically characterized by barren, rocky ground consisting of soluble rock—such as limestone or gypsum—that features caves, sinkholes, and underground rivers, among other distinctive features.
• This type of landscape is created by the dissolving effects of underground water on the soluble rock.

Q1) What is Limestone?

Limestone is a sedimentary rock primarily composed of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in the form of mineral calcite or aragonite.Limestone forms through the accumulation and compaction of marine organisms, primarily the remains of shellfish and coral, over millions of years. This sedimentary rock can exhibit a wide array of textures and colors, depending on its composition.t is commonly used as a building material in the construction industry for making concrete and mortar. 

Source: New ‘dragon lizard’ species with impressive camouflage capabilities found in Southeast Asia

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