Colours
Distinguishing features
When young they have a dark black body with bright yellow stripes leading from the back of the neck down to the meeting of the bright blue tail.
As juvenile males age, they lose their yellowish stripes and the blue on their tails. their back starts to become a brownish black color, and they begin to grow a reddish color underneath the neck during the mating seasons.
Females usually keep their blue tail for their whole life.
They have a snake-like head and exhibit the "tongue-flicking" snakes use to "taste" their surroundings. (Wikipedia)
Size
- Up to 4.3 cm (Snout to vent length)
Synonyms
Distribution
Distribution and habitat preferences
They are endemic to Christmas Island.
Behaviour
It is thought that the bright coloring on the tail is intended to direct the predator's attention to it, instead of the vulnerable body.
When they become frightened they have the ability to pop their tail off and it will continue to wiggle and distract their predator while they run away. (Wikipedia)
