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AGAMIDAE
This family of lizards are mainly diurnal. They are medium sized lizards, attaining a length of 1.5 ft, being the largest. Most agamids are highly ornamental, with very good colouration. South Indian agamids are oviparous. Most are sexually dimorphic, with males being more prominent, colourful and large than females. Five genera occur in southern India. An * indicates endemic species.
Calotes CUVIER, 1817
This species-rich, widespread genus is one of the best known and typical representatives of the family. The genus is characterized by the presence of evident dorsal crest, long tail length and arboreal Most are keeled and a few may be smooth. Most Calotine lizards are endemic to Western Ghats, mainly in the wet, forested hill tracts. The following species occur in southern India.
Calotes calotes (LINNAEUS, 1758)
C. versicolor (DAUDIN, 1802)
C. ellioti* GÜNTHER, 1864
C. rouxii* DUMÉRIL & BIBRON, 1837
C. nemoricola* JERDON, 1853
C. grandisquamis* GÜNTHER, 1875
C. aurantolabium* KRISHNAN, 2008
Salea GRAY, 1845
This genus of arboreal, montane lizards is endemic to high elevation montane forests of Western Ghats. These lizards are sexually dimorphic, with males differing from females in appearance. They are medium sized lizards and are commonly known as ‘Spiny lizards’ due to their spiny dorsal crest and imbricate body scales. They are strictly hill species, inhabiting hilly terrain and forests, on trees and shrubs. Two species are known.
Salea horsfieldii* GRAY, 1845
S. anamallayana* BEDDOME, 1878
Sitana CUVIER, 1844
This genus has only one, widespread species of agamid that is found only in the dry rocky or sandy country throughout the peninsula. It is often reported to live and nest, in cactus sedges and other sparse vegetation. A terrestrial species, it is very agile and moves on hot surfaces with astonishing speed and ease. The males, especially the large, territorial males develop a blue tinge in throat fan. The fan, is the dermal appendage or dew flap found in this species and thus the name ‘Fan throated lizard’.
Sitana ponticeriana CUVIER, 1844
Draco LINNAEUS, 1758
This genus is represented by only one south Indian species, which is a small, strictly arboreal species that is found in bare tree trunks. It is endemic to the forested hills of Eastern & Western Ghats. This agmid is a cryptically coloured species, whose grey-brown colour merges with bark of trees. It can be easily identified by the presence of patagia / wing-like membrane on either sides of their trunk, and a yello coloured dew flap on throat.
Draco dussumieri* DUMÉRIL & BIBRON, 1837
Psammophilus FITZINGER, 1843
This genus of agamids are commonly called ‘Rock lizards’, due to their squat build and terrestrial habits. These lizards are found in rocky caves and associated formations and rarely on shrubs. It is distributed throughout the peninsula. This genus comprises of 2 species in southern India, which are found in plains and hills that are predominantly dry. The former species is predominantly distributed in the south, while the latter, in the east. The former species is larger and thus can be told apart.
Psammophilus dorsalis* (GRAY, 1831)
Psammophilus blandfordanus* (STOLICZKA, 1871)
Otocryptis WAGLER, 1830
This genus is endemic to Ceylonese-Malabar sub region. Only one species, is distributed in the hill forests of southern Western Ghats (8’N & 9’N lat.). It is an endemic species. This species is small, terrestrial creature that is found in leaf-litter and forest floor among the highly complex forest floor vegetation. Males differ from female.
Otocryptis beddomii* BOULENGER, 1885
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snakeranglerr |
Latest page update: made by snakeranglerr
, Sep 9 2009, 10:09 AM EDT
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Keyword tags:
dragon lizards
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| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | ||
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| dhvl | O. beddomii | 0 | Feb 27 2009, 1:44 PM EST by dhvl | ||
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Thread started: Feb 27 2009, 1:44 PM EST
Watch
Lots of Kangaroo Lizards photographed with various colourations. See pictures and video from trip report on my blog here:
http://jumbledmumblings.blogspot.com/2009/02/shendurney-bird-census-february-2009.html Would like explanations for colour and pattern variations. |
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