Emerald Swift Lizard - Stunning Green and Blue scaled lizard found in Central America that hunt ants

This is our resident Emerald Swift or Green Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus malachiticus) from the Phrynosomatidae family. I love the blue and green colors on this guy and the really neat scales that give them the name. This one, or maybe his parents, have been living on an old, almost dead tree on our farm for several years now. You can usually find them relaxing in the sun doing almost nothing or scurrying around the tree as they hunt for ants, which seem to be their favorite food. These are found from Southern Mexico south to Panama but are kept as pets around the world. It used to be thought these were a subspecies of the Mexican emerald spiny lizard, Sceloporus formosus, but modern research has returned it to full species status.

[@JosuesExotics]

Awesome video! Can’t wait to see what’s next!

[@BuscandoFauna]

Incredible color of that lizard, beautiful. Thank you very much for sharing with us. Regards

[@daltonadams8272]

Just wondering do the emerald swift lizards change colour when stressed or something because mine will go from those nice colours in the video to a darker green like the body but all the scales are darker then afew days later it’s bright again I don’t know why he does this

[@costaricanaturephotography3027]

I don't think so. I see them often and don't see any differences in those around here.