Calotes calotes
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| Calotes calotes Lönnberg, 1896 |
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Lacerta Calotes Linnaeus 1758 |
The Calotes calotes is an agamid lizard found in the forests of the Western Ghats, the Shevaroy Hills and Sri Lanka. It is also introduced in some parts of Southeast Asia such as Singapore.
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[edit] Description
Length of head one and a half times its breadth ; snout a little longer than the orbit ; forehead concave ; cheeks swollen ; upper head-scales unequal, smooth ; canthus rostralis and supraciliary edge sharp ; a row of 8 or 9 compressed spines, divided into two groups, above the tympanum, the diameter of which is less than half that of the orbit; 9 to 11 upper and as many lower labials. Body compressed ; dorsal scales large, feebly keeled, sometimes smooth, pointing backwards and upwards, as large as or a little smaller than the ventrals, which are strongly keeled and mucronate ; 30 to 35 scales round the middle of the body. Gular pouch not developed ; gular scales feebly keeled, nearly or quite as large as the ventrals. A short oblique fold in front of the shoulder covered with small granular scales. Nuchal and dorsal crests continuous, composed of closely-set lanceolate spines with smaller ones at the base ; in the adult male the height of the crest on the neck equals or exceeds the diameter of the orbit; on the back it gradually diminishes in size. Limbs moderate ; third and fourth fingers nearly equal ; fourth toe distinctly longer than third toe ; the hind-limb reaches to the front of the eye or beyond. Tail very long and slender.
Bright green dorsally, usually with 5 or 6 whitish or dark, green transverse stripes, often continued on to the tail ; head yellowish- or brownish-green ; throat (in life) red ; belly pale green ; tail light brown. Young and immature sometimes with a whitish dorso-lnterr.1 stripe. A half-grown example in the British Museum, no. 74.4.29.836, has a broad vertebral stripe of buff with elongated dark brown spots.[1]
[edit] In Singapore
Status in Singapore: Common. Introduced.
These lizards can change their colours, quite rapidly, but not as rapidly as chameleons. Mangrove and wetland wildlife at Sungei Buloh Nature Park Main features: Medium (37cm), distinguished by the two spines above the eardrums (tympanum), lack of spines behind the eye and lack of a shoulder fold.
World distribution: Southwest Asia, from Sri Lanka to Southern China and Sumatra.
Changeable Lizards are usually a dull brown, grey or olive with speckles or bands, but can can be seen in other colours such as bright green. These colour changes may reflect their moods.
During the breeding season, the male's head and shoulders turns bright orange to crimson and his throat black. Males also turn red-headed after a successful battle with rivals. Thus their other gruesome name of "Bloodsucker Lizard". But they don't actually suck anybody's blood! Both males and females have a crest from the head to nearly the tail, hence their other common name "Crested Tree Lizard".
Changeable Lizards are related to iguanas (which are found only in the New World). Unlike other lizards, they do not drop their tails (autotomy), and their tails can be very long, stiff and pointy. Like other reptiles, they shed their skins. Like chameleons, Changeable Lizards can move each of their eyes in different directions.
Changeable Lizards eat mainly insects and small vertebrates, including rodents and other lizards. Although they have teeth, these are designed for gripping prey and not tearing it up. So prey is swallowed whole, after it is stunned by shaking it about. Sometimes, young inexperienced Changeable Lizards may choke on prey which are too large. They are commonly found among the undergrowth in open habitats including highly urban areas. The lizards were introduced to Singapore from Malaysia and Thailand in the 1980s.
Breeding: Males become highly territorial during breeding season. They discourage intruding males by brightening their red heads and doing "push-ups". Each tries to attract a female by inflating his throat and drawing attention to his handsomely coloured head. About 10-20 eggs are laid, buried in moist soil. The eggs are long, spindle-shaped and covered with a leathery skin. They hatch in about 6-7 weeks. They are able to breed at about 1 year old.
Role in the habitat: Changeable Lizards control the population of their prey. In turn, they are food for predators higher up in the food chain.
Status and threats: The Changeable Lizard is relatively common and found in a wide range of habitats. They appear to adapt well to humans and are thus not endangered.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Smith, M A (1941) Fauna of British India. Reptilia and Amphibia.
[edit] References
- Erdelen, W. 1984 The genus Calotes (Sauria: Agamidae) in Sri Lanka: distribution patterns. J. Biogeogr. 11: 515-525
- Lönnberg, E. 1896 Linnean type-specimens of birds, reptiles, batrachians, and fishes in the Zoological Museum of the Royal University of Upsala. Bihang till Kongliga Svenska Vetenskaps-Akademiens. Handlingar, Stockholm 22 (4) l: 1-45
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