Kingdom Animalia Subphylum Vertebrata Order Squamata Scientific name Calotes aurantolabium | Phylum Chordata Class Reptilia Suborder Iguania Rank Species | |
Similar Calotes nemoricola, Calotes ellioti, Calotes grandisquamis, Calotes rouxii, Calotes jerdoni | ||
The orange-lipped forest lizard (Calotes aurantolabium) is an agamid lizard found in the forests of the southern Western Ghats and is currently known from the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve. The species was formerly included in Calotes andamanensis of the Andaman Islands, but recognized as distinct in 2008.
Description
Calotes aurantolabium is diagnosed by having orange colored upper lips, green body; acutely keeled scales over body (dorsally and ventrally), head, and throat; postero-ventral orientation of the dorsal scales; antehumeral pit absent; 63 scales around midbody; small tympanum (5.5% HL); toe III and IV subequal. Distinguished from Calotes andamanensis in having acutely keeled dorsals, all of which are directed posteroventrally; antehumeral pit absent; acutely keeled ventrals, limb and head scales; smaller occipital, nuchal, temporal regions. Distinguished from all known species of the Calotes versicolor group in having posteroventral orientation of dorsal scales (posterodorsal in C. versicolor group). Distinguished from species of the Calotes liocephalus group in lacking antehumeral pit, and in having a proportionately smaller head, ulnar length proportionately longer, tibial length proportionately shorter. Distinguished from Calotes rouxii and Calotes ellioti in lacking an antehumeral fold and spines, toe-IV and III subequal.
Holotype: Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) 1436 (Orange-lipped forest lizard) an adult female, collected by N. M. Ishwar at Kakkachi in Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu, India in 1997.