Nominations are now being accepted for the official (to us, anyway) reptile of St. Patrick's Day! While all nominations will be considered, nominations from SC herpers are eligible for extra credit.
Add your nomination as a comment to this post, including the species you nominate and why you think this species is the best choice to represent St. Patrick's Day.
Nominations will end at midnight Saturday, 3/17. Happy St. Patrick's Day and be safe!
10 comments:
Because St. Patrick banished all the snakes…
I nominate Lacerta vivipara because not only is it one of the few reptiles of Ireland, but often specimens exhibit a green color! This species is viviparous and exhibits tail autonomy.
I nominate the Green Anole, Anolis carolinensis, because not only is it green but it is also curious and fast, much like a leprechaun. Both are also hard to catch and if you happen to catch either of them they have "magical" ways of getting away. The Leprecahun grants three wishes for his release, while the Anole can autonomize its tail. The Anole is territorial over its land, while the Leprechaun is territorial over its gold!
I nominate Zootoca vivipara, formerly Lacerta vivipara because it is one of the few reptiles that exist in Ireland and it is very unique just like leprechauns! They are viviparous, which is very rare for lizards to be! Also, in northern regions, these lizards hibernate or hide just like Leprechauns hibernate all year until Saint Patrick's Day!
I nominate Opheodrys aestivus, the rough green snake. It's a beautiful green snake that would blend in with the color of the Irish countryside. It also has a yellowish belly that looks like a leprechaun's gold!
Even though it is a snake, I nominate Opheodrys aestivus, commonly known as the Rough Green Snake, because it is just so darn cute!! It's bright green color is perfect and I could see someone adorning themselves with one of these snakes for St. Patrick's day if they are a snake person :)
I vote for Anguis fragilis. It's a non-native glass lizard that cannot seem to get out of County Clare, but it's the closest thing that Ireland has to snakes. The literature nerd in me wants to seriously overextend the metaphor of St. Patrick banishing the snakes meaning the conversion of the Celts to Catholicism (i.e., the banishing of their heathen Druid-y ways), and have A. fragilis represent the blending of Irish tradition and Catholicism that makes Irish Catholicism so unique.
Aw geez aw geez, I forgot that I didn't have my actual name as my user name. This is Laura, and I am a little embarrassed that I've posted as Professor Science twice now.
I would nominate Opheodrys aestivus; He's green!!! And wonderful!
I am late, but I want some extra credit Dr. Welch. Green Anoles would be fine, but a lovelier choice may be the green salamander (Aneides aeneus) which are luckier than a leprachan and harder to find too.
Thanks for the nominations!
By popular acclaim, the winner is Opheodrys aestivus, the rough green snake.
This bright green beauty has it all -- it's a snake, it's green, and it's belly might even be likened to a leprechaun-pot's gold!
http://eol.org/data_objects/
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