Calotes liolepis

Whistling Lizard
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Agamidae
Subfamily: Draconinae
Genus: Calotes
Species: C. liolepis
Binomial name
Calotes liolepis
Boulenger, 1885

The Whistling lizard, or Sri Lanka Agama, Calotes liolepis is a species of lizard in the Agamidae family. It is one of four Calotes species endemic to Sri Lanka.

Distribution

Restricted to submontane forests below 100m, and found in forested areas and plantations. Widely distributed, but apparently patchily distributed, in the central hills of Sri Lanka, including Knuckles, Kotmale, Sinharaja, Talawakele, Hanguranketha, Kanneliya, Galle, Kandy, Dambulla, Peradeniya, Namunukula, and Gampola.

Description

Head long. Tail long. A series of spines on nape make up the dorso-nuchal crest in males. Enlarged scales on dorsum of the body. Midbody scale rows 33-39. Ventral scales as large as those on flanks. Forehead pale brown, with pale inter-orbital bands. Dorsum pale gray with dark gray bands, numbering four on the body. Limbs and tail similarly dark-banded.

Ecology

Unusual among agamid lizards is its habit of uttering a high-pitched whistle when alarmed. It feeds on insects and ants. Gravid females are seen between July-August.

References

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