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ReptileTerrestrialIntermediate
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Reeves' Butterfly Lizard
Leiolepis rubritaeniata
A highly active, diurnal, burrowing agamid lizard native to Southeast Asia, widely known for displaying vibrant red and black stripes on its expandable flanks when defending its territory.
Class:Squamata
Order:Squamata
Family:Agamidae
Subfamily:Leiolepidinae
Genus:Leiolepis
Species:Leiolepis rubritaeniata
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
30 - 50 %
Day temperature
24 - 31 °C
Ambient temperature
24 - 31 °C
Night temperature
18 - 22 °C
Basking spot
40 - 42 °C
Adult size
16.6 cm
Minimum enclosure
>= 300 L
Brumation temperature
15 - 18 °C
UVB
High
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Leiolepis rubritaeniata is native to Southeast Asia, commonly found in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. It inhabits open, dry, sandy environments such as coastal plains, sand dunes, dry riverbeds, and degraded agricultural landscapes. It is a strictly terrestrial lizard that digs deep burrows in sandy soil to escape the heat of the midday sun and predators.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Belongs to the family Agamidae, subfamily Leiolepidinae, and the genus Leiolepis. Commonly known as the banded butterfly lizard or Reeves' butterfly lizard. Genetically, the genus Leiolepis is of high scientific interest as it contains both sexually reproducing and triploid parthenogenetic species; L. rubritaeniata is a sexually reproducing species.
Behavior and Habits: It is a diurnal, highly active, and naturally shy reptile. It spends the morning basking near the entrance of its burrow, ready to retreat at high speed at the slightest sign of danger. It exhibits territorial behavior, defending its burrow system from intruders. It expands its mobile ribs to display its colorful flanks for intimidation or courtship.
Morphology: It features an elongated, dorso-ventrally flattened body, with a total length of 30-40 cm, of which the tail makes up more than half. The skin is smooth and covered in very fine scales. The head is robust and triangular. The primary morphological feature is the ability to expand the flanks laterally via flexible ribs, showing a bright underlying color pattern.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: Requires a spacious terrestrial enclosure, with minimum dimensions of 120x60x60 cm. The substrate is the most critical element: it must consist of a sand-clay mix at least 20-30 cm deep, kept slightly damp at the bottom to allow the lizard to excavate stable burrows that do not collapse.
Lighting and Heating: Demands intense basking light and high UVB. Install high-output UVB bulbs (10% or 12%) alongside heat lamps to create a hot basking spot of 40-42 °C (104-107 °F) on the substrate surface. General daytime ambient temperature should range from 28-32 °C (82-90 °F), with a nighttime drop to 20-22 °C (68-71 °F).
Humidity and Hydration: Prefers a dry ambient climate with 40-50% humidity during the day, but with higher humidity inside the underground burrows. Provide a shallow, heavy water dish for drinking. The lizard also obtains hydration from consuming fresh vegetation and from light morning misting of the terrarium.
Feeding and Supplementation: Omnivorous with a strong herbivorous tendency as adults. The diet should consist of leafy greens (dandelion, endive, chicory), edible flowers, and live insects (crickets, locusts, roaches) fed on alternating days. Dust food with pure calcium carbonate at every feeding, adding a calcium + D3 supplement once a week.
Compatibility: Can be housed as a pair (one male, one female) or a small harem (one male, two females) only if the enclosure is sufficiently large. Males are highly territorial and will fight aggressively; never house multiple males together. Avoid cohabitation with other lizard species.
Health and Common Diseases: Fungal skin infections are common if the substrate surface remains damp or soiled. Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) occurs if UVB lighting is outdated or calcium supplementation is neglected. Territorial bite wounds must be treated immediately to prevent secondary bacterial infections.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Leiolepis rubritaeniata is native to Southeast Asia, commonly found in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. It inhabits open, dry, sandy environments such as coastal plains, sand dunes, dry riverbeds, and degraded agricultural landscapes. It is a strictly terrestrial lizard that digs deep burrows in sandy soil to escape the heat of the midday sun and predators.
Origin
South and Southeast AsiaEast Asia
Reptile profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 16.6 cm
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
The catalog's scalar value is 16.6 cm. The ReptTraits v1.2 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 16.6 cm for this species, recorded as snout–vent length (SVL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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