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Strange dead reptile - Scotland: |
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bktheman Member Joined: 14 Jun 2004 No. of posts: 2  View other posts by bktheman |
Posted: 14 Jun 2004 Recently (13th June 2003) on a walk by sand dunes at Aberlady bay in East Lothian, Scotland, I came across what appeared to be a dead lizard. The tail was long and pointed. Not much of the animal remained, only the backbone and tail really, however the scaly skin was still visible which appeared to have several rows of spikes (like little sharks teeth) running the length of the spine and someway down the tail. Does anyone have any idea what this could be? |
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Gemma Fairchild Krag Committee Joined: 14 Feb 2003 No. of posts: 193 View other posts by Gemma Fairchild |
Posted: 14 Jun 2004 wild guess, but possibly a pet green iguana? ----RAUK e-Forum---- 
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Wolfgang Wuster Senior Member Joined: 23 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 326 View other posts by Wolfgang Wuster |
Posted: 15 Jun 2004 How big was it? WW Wolfgang Wüster School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor http://sbsweb.bangor.ac.uk/~bss166/ |
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Donny Senior Member Joined: 11 May 2004 No. of posts: 53 View other posts by Donny |
Posted: 17 Jun 2004 As we all know, Scotland is in fact home to one of the UK's, if not the world's, rarest reptiles....So, did your lizard look anything like this? |
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bktheman Member Joined: 14 Jun 2004 No. of posts: 2 View other posts by bktheman |
Posted: 17 Jun 2004 I went back to the site the other day, picked up the remains, and took it to the local nature reserve warden. I must say he was a bit puzzled too. He said it was too big (over a foot long) to be any of our native lizards. After thinking about it for a while, I thought the only other thing it could probably have been (considering it was found by the sea) is perhaps a Thornback Ray or Roker, this would explain the "teeth" down the back and long tail as well as the scaly skin. There wasn't much else left of the animal, but I guess the local scavangers ripped off and ate most of the meaty parts and dropped the bony tail and indigestible parts some way behind the sand dunes. (Honestly, it really did look like some weird reptile remains!) Of course, I am still holding out for confirmation of the nessie theory. I'll keep you all posted if I get any update from the Warden. |
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Gemma Fairchild Krag Committee Joined: 14 Feb 2003 No. of posts: 193 View other posts by Gemma Fairchild |
Posted: 17 Jun 2004 LOL Donny, if they ever do find nessie it will put an end to people complaining about the UK's 'impoverished' reptile biodiversity! ----RAUK e-Forum----
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Tony Phelps Forum Specialist Joined: 09 Mar 2003 No. of posts: 575 View other posts by Tony Phelps |
Posted: 18 Jun 2004 Little ray of hope I guess. T (sorry tis late) |
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Robert V Senior Member Joined: 06 Aug 2004 No. of posts: 717 View other posts by Robert V |
Posted: 09 Aug 2004
or even a water dragon RobV |
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j gaughan Senior Member Joined: 04 May 2003 No. of posts: 57 View other posts by j gaughan |
Posted: 09 Aug 2004 In the cold light of day (just), i'm afraid to say this thing has never existed _but this (sad) fact hasn't dampened my interest in the LNM; i've followed it since the mid-1970's, collecting some lovely old books along the way As for 'sea serpents' . . . now that's a different kettle of fish I'm prepared to stick my neck out on these, as elusive as they are . . . John |
- Strange dead reptile - Scotland |