Heat-Lizard

Heat-Lizards (a the name applied to them by Earth colonists); also known as Grokos by the Oumnis; are a species of large, non-sapient salamandrine life forms from the planet Mercury, which can be found on the twilight zone of the planet, but also venture freely into the scorching deserts of the sunlit hemisphere. They are domesticated by the native Dlukus.

Biology
Despite their name, the appearance of this species seems to combine aspects of salamanders and crocodiles, more-so than lizards. Their skin has a rough horny texture and provides extraordinary insulation against the heat, allowing them to withstand temperatures that would boil any other life form alive. Their legs are much longer than those of earthly reptiles, and they're agile enough to leap over large fissures. In spite of their great size, they're timid creatures and not usually regarded as dangerous.

Appearances

 * "The Immortals of Mercury", by Clark Ashton Smith (1932)