Calotes andamanensis

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Andaman and Nicobar Forest Lizard
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Lacertilia
Family: Agamidae
Subfamily: Agaminae
Genus: Calotes
Species: C. andamanensis
Binomial name
Calotes andamanensis
Boulenger, 1891[1]

The Andaman Garden Lizard[2] or the Andaman and Nicobar Forest Lizard (Calotes andamanensis) is an agamid lizard found on the Nicobar Islands, the Andaman Islands [3] and Western Ghats of India. It is also known as the Green Crestless Forest Lizard[4] or the Andaman Green Calotes.[5]

The holotype of the Andaman and Nicobar Forest Lizard is an adult male from Nicobar Islands, India; collected by Frederick Adolph de Roepstorff (1842-1896) on 7 January 1882.[6]

Description

The Andaman and Nicobar Forest Lizard has been noted as having enlarged keeled scales on caudal surface of thigh, obtusely keeled scales over head, smooth dorsal body scales (uppers six rows directed posterodorsally, remainder posteroventrally). It lacks body crest, antehumeral pit present. The Andaman and Nicobar Forest Lizard has 67 scales around its midbody. Its third toe is shorter than its fourth toe. This species is distinguished from Calotes aurantolabium in having smooth dorsals, dorsal body scales unequal, upper six scale rows larger, remainder equal in size to ventral scales; three enlarged scales on caudal thigh; dorsal head scales obtusely keeled; parietal ridge raised; enlarged scale between nuchal crest and tympanum; antehumeral pit present; toe-IV longer than III; stretched hindlimb reaches eye. Distinguished from Calotes versicolor and Calotes liocephalus groups and C. rouxi and C. ellioti in presence of enlarged keeled scales on caudal surface of thigh. Distinguished from Calotes versicolor group lizards in scale orientation – distinguished from Calotes versicolor in having an antehumeral pit; distinguished from C. nemoricola and C. grandisquamis in having equal size dorsal and ventral scales, toe-IV longer than III, scales around midbody 67 (36-43 and 27-35 respectively); distinguished from C. calotes in lacking flattened spines above tympanum. Distinguished from C. ellioti and C. rouxi in having an antehumeral pit and in lacking spines. It is distinguished from the species Calotes liocephalus and similar lizards (C. ceylonensis, C. desilvai, C. liolepis, C. nigrilabris) in lacking spines on the head. It is distinguished from C. liocephalus by midbody scale count and body crest.[7]

It originally included the species now reclassified Calotes aurantolabium [8] The description given here is used in the newer sense, rather than the one of by Ishwar and Das (1998).

References

  1. http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species.php?genus=Calotes&species=andamanensis downloaded February 15, 2010.
  2. http://www.riteshmandal.com/nvision/flora_fauna.htm
  3. http://www.reefandrainforest.co.uk/wildlife-news.php Viewed February 17, 2010.
  4. http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species.php?genus=Calotes&species=andamanensis
  5. http://www.reefandrainforest.co.uk/wildlife-news.php
  6. ( Zoological Museum collection, Københavns Universitet, Copenhagen, Denmark (ZMUC) 36944)
  7. http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species.php?genus=Calotes&species=andamanensis downloaded February 15, 2010.
  8. Krishnan,. S http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1670/06-198.1?journalCode=hpet.
  • Boulenger,G.A. 1891 On new or little known Indian and Malayan reptiles and batrachians. Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (6) 8: 288-292
  • Ishwar,N.M. & Das,I. 1998 Rediscovery of Calotes andamanensis Boulenger 1891, and a reassessment of the type locality. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 95: 513-514
  • Ishwar, N. M. 2001. Reptilian Species Distribution in Response to Habitat Fragmentation and Microhabitats in the Rainforests of Southern Western Ghats, India. Unpubl. Ph.D. diss.,. Forest Research Institute (Deemed University). Uttaranchal, India.
  • Krishnan, S. 2008. New Species of Calotes (Reptilia: Squamata: Agamidae) from the Southern Western Ghats, India. Journal of Herpetology. 42:3 530-535.
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