4 Phenomenal Philippine's Reptiles l Our Breathing Planet

We hope that each of you, our readers, will enjoy and appreciate this article we present about these 4 Phenomenal Philippine’s Reptiles. It was certainly our pleasure to compile the information for you. May it provide you with both education and increased awareness.

These few species listed herein represent only a portion of the natural wonders found throughout the world, though. Yet, it’s our belief that they serve as excellent representations of the wonders found here. Check out some of our other articles for similar marvels.

Philippine sailfin lizard

Philippine sailfin lizard Facts

Starting off this article about these 4 Phenomenal Philippine’s Reptiles we present the intriguing creature named the Philippine sailfiin lizard.
This creation of Nature and evolution most frequently goes by the informative common name for excellent reasons. It also has alternate names it’s sometimes called. These include such terms as crested lizard and soa soa water lizard.
Within scientific circles, however, it’s referred to by yet another title. That’s its formal, scientific name. Unfortunately, that’s a term that’s somewhat hard for the layperson to pronounce. That’s because it bears the technical moniker of Hydrosaurus pustulatus.
The animal received that difficult title due to the efforts of the Baltic German naturalist, Johann Friedrich Gustav von Eschscholtz. He recorded the first official recognition of the reptile as a separate and distinct species. He managed this feat in the year 1829.
Sadly, it has long been a target of the exotic pet trade, due to its appearance. Thankfully, though, it now enjoys the status of a protected species in the region of the world it lives in. Nevertheless, illegal hunting of it for that reason still continues across its range.
Fortunately, the intriguing Philippinie sailfin lizard appears to be maintaining a wild population that’s both sizeable and stable. That situation further seems to hold true throughout the entirety of its territory. The IUCN, thus, now lists it as Least Concern.
Nonetheless, it still faces several potential threats to its continued existence. Most of these stem from the actions of man. They include such perils as habitat loss and hunting for consumption. Now, however, it faces the threat of ongoing climate change.

Philippine Sailfin Lizard, Hydrosaurus pustulatus — Source: https://bit.ly/3MMfTsX Photo: gautsch CCL: https://bit.ly/3H9dTHN

Philippine sailfin lizard Physical Description

The Philippine sailfin lizard is one of those marvels of Nature that quickly captivates those who encounter them. Unlike some species, though, it does so for a variety of reasons. Though certainly not its most intriguing aspect, the animal boasts an impressive size.

Like many reptiles, however, it also displays a certain degree of the physiological characteristic of sexual dimorphism. In its specific case, this trait manifests itself in terms of both size and physical appearance. Though not unknown, that’s somewhat less common.

Regarding size, males of the remarkable creature typically attain a much greater size on average than their female counterparts. Including the lengthy tail, males reach an average length somewhere between 3 – 4 ft (0.91 – 1.2 m). Females average 2 -3 ft (61 – 91 cm).

Despite the difference in length, weights of mature adults remains approximately the same, regardless of gender. This results in many females having a slightly stockier build than the males. Overall, though, fully grown individuals attain weights of about 3 – 5 lbs (1.4 – 2.3 kg).

Yet the Philippine sailfin lizard also displays gender-based differences in terms of the crest, or sailfin. This, thin, upright feature extends from the base of the tail to the lower section of the back. Males of the species develop a larger crest, in addition to bigger heads.

Even the coloring differs between the sexes, though to only a minor degree. This principally consists of a background of dark green and brown. Yellow patches sometimes appear on the back and near the head. The limbs of the male, though, show a darker shade than females.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Agamidae
Genus: Hydrosaurus
Species: H. pustulatus

Philippine sailfin lizard Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology

The amazing Philippine sailfin lizard evolved as endemic to a portion of the world well known for its natural beauty. Its very name indicates part of that range, of course. However, that same moniker is also slightly deceptive, as it appears elsewhere, as well.

The majority of specimens do appear on several of the islands comprising the Philippines. It does not, though, live on Palawan Island. A smaller population also makes its home in New Guinea, and a small part of Indonesia. It’s unknown if it ever lived anywhere else.

Like many related species, the animal also displays decided strong preferences for its choice of habitat. Due to this instinctive tendency, though, its choices remain somewhat limited. The reptile makes its home almost exclusively in regions of tropical wooded areas.

Yet the wonder of Nature also requires close proximity to calm or slow-moving water. This includes such diverse regions as riverbanks, magnrove areas, and even rice fields. The specifically evolved animal further prefers the presence of loosely piled rocky debris.

Still following a pattern common to its relatives, the Philippine sailfin lizard developed as an omnivore. Intriguingly, it strikes a very even balance between meat and plants. Its diet thus consists of such food sources as fruits, leaves, insects, and even smaller crustaceans.

The species additionally evolved a diurnal in nature. Individuals spend the majority of the day sunning themselves. Breeding occurs once per year, though the female may lay several clutches. Each of these typically produces between 2 – 8 eggs each, placed in shallow pits.

Philippine Crocodile

Philippine Crocodile Facts

Next up in this compendium of 4 Phenomenal Philippine’s Reptiles comes the impressive creature known as the Philippine Crocodile.
This magnificent work of Nature and evolution most frequently goes by the descriptive name that we’ve used herein. It also has other, less often used common names, though. While that’s not uncommon, it has more alternate names than some.
Sometimes individulas refer to the fabulous reptile as either the bulkarot, the Mindoro crocodile, or the Philippine freshwater crocodile. Scientists, meanwhile typically refer to it by its hard to pronounce official scientific name of the Crocodylus mindorensis.
The first formal recognition of this marvelous creature as a species, however, did not occur until the year 1935. The respected American herpetologist, Karl Patterson Schmidt, holds the honor of that particular scientifically noteworthy acknowledgment.
Interestingly, though, experts previously considered the animal to merely be a subspecies of yet another crocodile. In 1989, however, experts determined that it was, in fact, not a subspecies of the New Guinea crocodile, despite beliefs to the contrary.
Sadly, though, the population of the marvelous Philippine Crocodile plunged drastically in modern times. This occurred mainly due to fishing practices, and exploitation. The IUCN, therefore, listed it as Critically Endangered, on its Red List, in 2008.
In fact, it’s further considered to be the most highly threatened of all known crocodile species. Thankfully, however, the reptile now enjoys a measure of protection under the law. It nevertheless faces other threats, such as habitat loss and climate change.

Philippine Crocodile, Crocodylus mindorensis — Source: https://bit.ly/2U855MA Photo: Brian Gratwicke CCL: https://bit.ly/3gX0Z2x

Philippine Crocodile Physical Description

Though the incredible Philippine Crocodile easily impresses those who encounter it, the animal does not do so purely to sheer size alone. That’s because, compared to related species, it’s relatively small. Further, it’s actually among the smallest of all crocodilians.

Like many reptiles, though, it displays a slight degree of the physiological characteristic of sexual dimorphism. In its specific case, this trait manifests itself in terms of physical size, alone. In some species, this trait appears in both size and overall appearance.

More specifically, though, the females of this amazing species attain a smaller size than males. That further applies to length and weight. The overall difference, however, remains comparatively minor. This sometimes makes identification difficult for experts.

Between the genders, a mature specimen of the Philippine Crocodile reaches a length measuring approximately 10 ft (3.1 m). The gender-based differnce is more pronounced in weight, however. Males weigh up to 420 lb (190 kg), yet females rarely exceed 200 lb (90 kg).

Like its many relatives, this crocodilian develops thick, bony plates, like armor, covering its body. These further develop especially thick on its back. It also manifests a relatively broad snout. In coloring, it’s a golden-brown shade when young, but darkens as it matures.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Crocodilia
Family: Crocodylidae
Genus: Crocodylus
Species: C. mindorensis

Philippine Crocodile Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology

The very name of the remarkable Philippine Crocodile provides a good indication its native range. That’s due to the fact that the reptile is native to region of the Philippines. For an entire species, however, that’s an extremely limited section of the globe for it to inhabit.

Sadly, though, even within this range it’s lost much of its former territory. That’s because the reptile once appeared throughout the region. Unfortunately, though, it’s now been eradicated in much of the area. Due to this, the animal now appears in only a few areas.

Those highly isolated sections of the overall region further consist solely of the islands of Dalupiri, Luzon and Mindanao. Much of those regions, though, now form National Parks. Like most of its relatives, it displays strong preferences for its choice of habitat.

In each area, though, the majestic reptile lives in the same three types of ecosystem. These zones of habitation consist of either marshes, ponds, or freshwater rivers. It also inhabited the same types of ecosystems in the portions of the region from it has been extirpated.

Like others of its kind, this magnificent crocodilian evolved an entirely carnivorous diet. Also like its many kindred around the world, it feeds opportunistically. Due to the nature of its very limited range, though, certain prey understandably forms the bulk of its diet.

This mainly consists of small mammals, aquatic invertebrates, other reptiles, a few birds, and quantities of fish. Here, the Philippine Crocodile displays an unexpected tendency. That’s due to the fact that it intentionally seeks out ailing fish in a higher ratio to others.

Saltwater Crocodile

Saltwater Crocodile Facts

Now making its appearance in ths listing of 4 Phenomenal Philippine’s Reptiles we give you the remarkable Saltwater Crocodile.
This magnificent work of Nature and evolution most frequently goes by its informative common name due to its habitat. That term, however, accurate, isn’t the only name applied to it, however. In point of fact, several others are sometimes used.
The alternate names themselves also often provide clues to its nature. These include such terms as the Indo-Pacific crocodile, esturarine crocodile, sea crocodile, and marine crocodile. The animal’s also sometimes informally referred to as the saltie.
Professional researchers, meanwhile, typically refer to the creature by its scientific name. That’s the technical name of Crocodylus porosus. Regardless of which name one chooses to use when referring to it, though, it’s an especially impressive crocodilian.
The renowned German naturalist Johann Gottlob Theanenus Schneider made the first formal recognition of the reptile. The well known researcher acknowledged this incredible example of evolution as a separate and distinct species in the year 1801.
The animal appears, for the moment, at least, to be maintiaing a population base that’s both stable and sufficient. That further seems to hold true throughout the entirety of its range. The IUCN therefore, presently lists the reptile as Least Concern on its Red List.
The amazing Saltwater Crocodile nevertheless faces dangers that could potentially threaten it in the future. Habitat loss poses a potential threat, due to human expansion. The ongoing process of climate change, however, likely condstitutes its greatest threat.

Saltwater Crocodile, Crocodylus porosus — Source: https://bit.ly/3ixFHcF Public Domain Image

Saltwater Crocodile Physical Description

Sheer size alone isn’t the only trait of the Saltwater Crocodile that impresses those who view the creature. That characteristic nonetheless certainly does bear mentioning. That’s because this species presently constitutes the largest of all currently known crocodilians.

The species also, like many of its relatives, displays a degree of the physiological characteristic of sexual dimorphism. In its specific case, though, this ranks as particularly severe. That’s due to the fact that the males attain a length roughly twice that of females.

The significantly longer males reach an average legnth measuring about 20 ft (6 m). Exceptional specimens, however, sometimes attain lengths of as much as 23 ft (7 m). The males further reach a weight that averages approximately 1,000 lbs (453.6 kg).

Females of the species, meanwhile, only attain an average length measuring approximately 10 ft (3 m). Even the exceptional individuals rarely exceed this by much. Sheer mass, however, remains starkly contrasted, with females rarely exceeding 330 lb (150 kg)!

While rare indivuals exceed these weights in both genders, the two sexes remain otherwise virtually indistinguishable in simple appearance. Its snout also develops wider than most related species. A pair of ridges also extends the length of the snout, from the eyes.

The body of the Saltwater Crocodile further differs from most others in its girth. Its body develops as much stouter in form. In coloring, most adults manifest a dark, greenish-drab shade. A few light gray or tan areas sometimes appear, however, in various spots.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Crocodilia
Family: Crocodylidae
Genus: Crocodylus
Species: C. porosus

Saltwater Crocodile Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology

Fortunately, the remarkable Saltwater Crocodile evolved as native to a comparatively broad swathe of the globe. Interestingly, furthermore, that range roughly straddles the equator. It further does so, by random chance, almost equally across both hemispheres.

This animal appears as far north as the eastern coast of the country of India. From there, its range extends through Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Vietnam, to name a few. That range extends as far south as northern Australia.

Wherever it makes an appearance, though, it displays highly specific preferences in terms of habitat. That’s because the remarkable crocodilian makes its home solely along the coastline. Individuals do, however, occasionally swim far out to sea, outside their range.

Most specimens spend the vast majority of their time inhabiting very specific habitat types. These principally consist of river deltas and mangrove swamps. In some regions, the incredible animal also migrate to warmer parts of its range during the local winter season.

The Saltwater Crocodile also differs from most of its kin in yet another manner. Although most crocodilains live as social creatures, this species mainly lives a solitary life. Most individuals, especially the males, further exhibit extremely strong territorial drives.

It also spends much of its time in a lethargic state. This allows it to survive for months at a time without feeding. When it does feed, however, it does so strictly as a carnivore, like other crocodiles. It further represents an apex predator throughout most areas of its range.

Philippine Cobra

Philippine Cobra Facts

Closing out hhis composition about these 4 Phenomenal Philippine’s Reptiles is the lesser-known cousin of another snake, the Philippine Cobra.
The informative term given to it serves as one of several common names for this particular species of reptile. Many people choose to refer to it by one of its alternate terms. These include Phillipine spitting cobra and northern Philippine cobra.
Among scientific professionals, however, it more commonly goes by its formal name. Fortunately, that’s relatively simple, as such terms go. Experts such as herpetologists therefore typically know this specific snake best by the term of Naja philippinensis.
The animal received this name due to the efforts of the American herpetologist, Edward Harrison Taylor. That’s because the noted researcher made the first official recognition of it as a separate and distinct species. He accomplished this in the year 1922.
Regardless of which term on employs when speaking of it, it remains a remarkable creature. Outside of its native range, it’s generally overshadowed by its better-known genetic cousin, the King Cobra. This snake, however, remains much smaller in size.
Sadly, though, this fascinating product of evolution appears to have a small population base. Equally lamentably, those numbers appear to be dwindling rapidly across its range. The IUCN therefore currently lists it as Near Threatened on its Red List.
The marvelous Philippine Cobra presently faces numerous threats to its continued existence as a species, though. Some of these stem from the actions of humans, either directly or indirectly. Its greatest threat, however, likely comes from climate change.

Philippine Cobra, Naja philippinensis — Source: https://bit.ly/3ICaSj7 Photo: Michael Ransburg CCL: https://bit.ly/3IXrLWP

Philippine Cobra Physical Description

The reptile known as the Philippine Cobra easily draws the attention and appreciation of those who encounter it. It does so for various reasons, of course. Sheer physical size, however, isn’t among them. That’s due to the fact that it’s much smaller than some cobras.

Like most its genetic cousins, this reptile also displays a certain degree of the trait of sexual dimorphism. In its particular case, though, this physiological characteristic remains relatively minor. It further manifests this gender-based difference in terms of simple physical size.

More specifically, females of the reptile typically attain shorter lengths. Overall, though, members of the species reach an average length of roughly 3.3 ft (1 m). Exceptional specimens do occur, of course. Yet even these only reach a known length of 5.2 ft (1.6 m).

It also usually develops a comparatively stocky body shape. Also like its many relatives, it develops cervical ribs evolved to expand. This allows for the ability to form a hood that’s so well known among cobras. This it generally does in response to perceived threats.

The head of the remarkable Philippine Cobra presents as somewhat ellipitical, and depressed in form. This further develops as slightly distinct from the neck. The intriguing creature further has a rounded, short snout, that boasts relatively small nostrils for a snake.

The majority of adult examples of Philippine Cobra present a uniformly medium brown shade on the upper body. The underneath of the snake usually appears a lighter shade of brown. Juveniles, though, typically present a much darker shade of brown across the body.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylyum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Elapidae
Genus: Naja
Species: N. philippinensis

Philippine Cobra Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology

The stunning Phhilippine Cobra evolved as native to a region of the globe well known for its natural beauty and variety. Given its name, that region comes as no surprise, of course. That’s because, as implied, the reptile developed natively in part of the Philippines.

Within that overall region, however, it only makes its presence known in a limited portion of the area. That’s comprised of the northern section, as referred to in one of its alternate names. More precisely, it inhabits the islands of Catanduanes, Mindoro, Luzon and Masbate.

It potentially inhabits neighboring islands, but that currently remains unconfirmed. Where it does live, though, it displays an impressive adaptability in terms of its habitat preferences. This tendency extends to a somewhat wide range in both altitudes and terrain.

Due to this flexibility, the reptile makes its home in such areas as highland forests and low-lying plains. Yet it also appears equally at home in sections of grasslands, open fields, agricultural areas, dense jungle, and even modrately dense sections of human habitation.

The Philippine Cobra additionally displays a strong preference for locations near water. This naturally affects its overall diet. The majority of that consists of frogs and other small mammals. But it also preys on small lizards, eggs, birds, and occasionally even other snakes.

The relative toxicity of its venom varies widely among individuals. Typically, however, this ranks the animal among the most lethal members of its genus. Its own predators therefore remain few. These include humans, mongoose, large birds of prey, and king cobras.