Calotes versicolor (Daudin, 1802)
Family: Agamidae Garden Lizard, Changeable Lizard Status: Potential Colonizer Description: A large species of diurnal lizard that can reach up to 95mm SVL. There are two small spines above the tympanum and on adults, the mid-dorsal scales for a crest, most prominent on the nuchal region. This crest is most pronounced in adult males. Color is variable and changeable. There is often a series of thin black lines radiating from the eye. The body is generally a shade of brown to green,Breeding males develop red coloration on the head and throat and occasionally on the forelimbs and belly. They also develop a black patch on the throat Biology: This large species can thrive in disturbed and altered landscapes such as gardens and parks. It feeds on a variety of small invertebrates but may also consume small vertebrates and plant matter on occasion. In India, individuals reach sexual maturity in 9-12 months and 6-23 eggs are laid per clutch (Das 2010). Distribution: This species is native to South and East Asia. It has been introduced to Celebes, Seychelles, Maldives, and Florida (IUCN redlist) as well as Singapore, the Mascarene Islands, and the Andaman Islands (Lever 2003). In March of 2011 and individual was captured in a field on the island of Saipan far from an obvious source (J. Stanford pers comm). The origin of the animal is unknown. Das, I. 2010. Reptiles of South-East Asia. New Holland Publishers. 376 pp Lever, C. 2003. Naturalized Reptiles and Amphibians of the World. Oxford University Press 318 pp |