Anyone with Rats local to me? (I've been saved!)

[SnakeWrangler]

It looks real to me, but then again it is impossible considering they "died out before the dinosaurs".

[Fuscus]

Originally Posted by africancichlidau

Yeah mate, they are pretty common down here, It's a victorian bearded hammer head dragon shark. Got a couple in a pond out the back.

Are the winds blowing the fumes in from the glue factory again, Afri?

[rodentrancher]

Looks like a doctored photo to me! But even so it's well done. LOL!

[SnakeWrangler]

RR, What makes you think it is doctored?

[rodentrancher]

Well SW, the head part just looks like its been superimposed?(is that the word) over the top of the head of the real lizard to me. Just my opinion that's all.

[instar]

probably the fact that its anatomically awkward for a land creature and the fact that its a doctored pic snakewrangler. We all look forward to your new show and the many herping adventures you will have looking for it, be a bit like gilligans island, how they never quite get rescued. :roll:
are you into crytozoology?

[moosenoose]

Well I'm glad we sorted what that one was! A Hammerhead Bearded Shark Lizard! Anyone got the scientific name on that? While we're on the topic, I photographed this in my backyard last night, it was big, and looked kind of dangerous, and mildly reptilian, any ideas? :wink:

[instar]

Something sigourney weaver left behind?

[Fuscus]

Its not a doctored photo, just a photo of a rubber toy. Look at the animals toes, no claws or knuckles

[SnakeWrangler]

RR, that is possible, except I wouldn't say a lizard, it would more likely be a "Axolotl Ambystoma mexicanum" (mexican walking fish). However the head appears to seemlessly join the body IMO, so to me it looks real. If it is fake, then I reckon it is a computer generated image.

Instar, if the mudskipper can move about on land with fins, then there is no doubt this creature could move with its legs. The head is balanced so would not pose a problem at all.

[instar]

The head might hinder it on land imo, get caught in plants etc, anyway what purpous such a head shape while on land, its aquatic design, so why be land going at all? I think its a toys-r-us special too.

[SnakeWrangler]

I never said it was a land dweller, but what purpose do the mexican walking fish or mudskipper have for going on land? They cetainly dont need to. Why are some of you so quick to dismiss the possibility that it could be real, there is certainly no way for anyone to be 100% based on that photo, wouldn't it be a good thing if this species of animal was found alive?

[Fuscus]

Number of things say it isn't real
first the toes and feet look wrong
Secondary is its strong resembance to an extinct cool - looking animal, prefect for making toys
Third is that I haven't heard of the animals "re discovery". While I don't have 100% coverage of all natural history events, it is highly likely I would have found some papers on it if it had been discovered in the last 10 years.
Forth and proberly most telling, its not in the pet trade. Thats one cool looking salamander, if it was available the yanks would be breeding it. In fact there proberly would be hypos, Jaguars etc available.

[instar]

Like I said Wrangler, the head is designed for a purley aquatic existance, its steamlined for moving through water, and feeding in water. No point having legs then. incidently mudskippers have vestigal lungs, hence the ability to go on land moving from one waterhole to the next. Why have a head like that if it had lungs, should be gills.
A head like thatthat would be not much good on land, visially, it would impede predator detection, couldnt get among plants, rocks etc to forage either. If it fed off the lake/ocean/streambed that might explain legs, but then if it was a specialist feeder on aquatic inverts, again, why go on land.
Sure itd be nice to discover something like that , buts highly unlikely. :wink:

also i think youll find abystoma mexicanus, unlike morphed salamanders dosent make a habit of getting about on land, the retain their gills. the legs are probly also explained by looking at the enviroment they live in, likely areas where swimming alone would impede foraging, ie shallow streambeds, swampy areas effected by varying water levels etc.

[OuZo]

hey fuscy stop picking on his stumpy toes lol

i think it looks like a baby alien . needs some feeding up whatever it is lol