Psammophilus blanfordanus

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Blanford's Rock Agama
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Agamidae
Genus: Psammophilus
Species: P. blanfordanus
Binomial name
Psammophilus blanfordanus
(Stoliczka, 1871)

Blanford's Rock Agama Psammophilus blanfordanus is an agamid lizard found in India (Bihar, Orissa, Central Provinces, Eastern Ghats, Travancore south to Trivandrum) The species is named after William Thomas Blanford (1832 - 1905), member of the Geological Survey of India.

Type locality: India (= Central India fide SMITH 1935).

Contents

[edit] Description

Closely allied to Psammophilus dorsalis, from which it differs in the following particulars :—-Ante-humeral fold deeper ; scales on body a little larger, from 80 to 100 round the middle, the dorsals always distinctly keeled and imbricate ; the hind-limb reaches to the orbit or a little beyond; frequently a small spine behind the supraciliary edge, and a few scattered, slightly enlarged scales on the flanks ; size smaller. Young, olive-brown above, spotted or marbled with brown, and usually with a series of large, lozenge-shaped, dark brown spots with pale centres on the back and tail; the markings persist more or less in the female, but disappear in the male ; the adult male is coloured much like P. dorsalis. In the breeding season (May) the head and anterior part of the body of the male become scarlet or red, the posterior parts nearly black. Common on many of the hills in Chota Nagpur, ascending Parasnath Hill to 4,500 fed, according to Annandale ; common also in the Godavari district, in the hills south of Madras and Salem district, and Travancore. Ferguson collected it at Talayar in Travancore at 7,000 feet. . Like dorsalis, it is found only on rocks, but Annandale says that it occasionally enters dwellings. He states the breeding season is in April and May, when the head and fore-parts of the male assume a brilliant red colour, displays himself to the female, who remains concealed, by slowly walking along in onspiouous place alternately raising and nodding his head in a very solemn manner.[1]

From snout to vent 100 ; tail 200 mm. Females are smaller.

[edit] Distribution

Bihar and Orissa ; Central Provinces ; the Eastern Ghats ; Travancore as far south as Trivandrum.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Smith, M. A. 1941. Fauna of British India. Reptilia and Amphibia.

[edit] References

  • Boulenger, G.A. 1885 Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Nat. Hist.) I. Geckonidae, Eublepharidae, Uroplatidae, Pygopodidae, Agamidae. London: 450 pp.
  • Stoliczka,F. 1871 Notes on new or little-known Indian lizards. Proc. asiat. Soc. Bengal (Calcutta) 1871: 192-195
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