Discover strange colorful lizards in Peru

In the towering, cold, cold forest of the Andes, southern Peru, researchers happened to discover new lizards with stunningly colorful motifs.

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What surprised the adventurers was why on the cold land was the habitat of warm-blooded animals that flower lizards could survive and thrive.

A Potamites montanicola male lizard

Potamites montanicola, a half-life reptile that lives on land halfway, is only 6.4cm long. Due to its shy nature, it seems to be separate from the animal world in the forest.

For the first time, researchers discovered the strange flower lizard was in August 2010 when he was taking a dive in a mountain stream.

From that point on, the scientist Germán Chávez confirmed that the new lizard, Potamites montanicola of the lizard species, was completely different in appearance and color on the body than the Potamites lizard, living around the Andes. .

After 3 months scouring the forests on a height of 1.570 - 2.100m, on a November night, the first time the researcher Chávez discovered a lizard flower about 6.4cm, scientists were witnessed a few strange lizards running and swimming, swimming in the stream.

Potamites montanicola lizards live halfway above the water

Chávez said: 'We do not yet know whether this small reptile is only active at night or simply that we have been awakened by us, so we are on the run, taking a dive underwater.'

Researchers are looking for an explanation of why the night mountain temperatures are only 10 - 15ºC, harsh weather conditions for cold-blooded creatures, but this strange flower lizard can still concentrate energy to run and swim in cold water.

'Potamites montanicola lizards' ability to regulate body temperature is a real mystery to the scientists 'discovery , ' said Chávez.

Compared to the common living area of ​​Potamites lizards, P. montanicola lizards live in the area about 1,000 meters higher and temperatures are much colder.