Calotes liolepis

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Whistling Lizard
Calotes liolepis.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Agamidae
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 family Agamidae. It is one of seven Calotes species endemic to Sri Lanka.

Contents

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.

Related Research Articles

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Calotes is a genus of lizards in the draconine clade of the family Agamidae. The genus contains 29 species. Some species are known as forest lizards, others as "bloodsuckers" due to their red heads, and yet others as garden lizards. The genus name Calotes has been derived from the Greek word Καλότης (Kalótës), meaning ‘beauty’, referring to the beautiful pattern of this genus.

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<i>Monilesaurus ellioti</i> Species of lizard

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<i>Calotes emma</i> Species of lizard

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<i>Calotes maria</i> Species of lizard

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhino-horned lizard</span> Species of lizard

The rhino-horned lizard, also commonly known as Stoddart's unicorn lizard and the mountain horned agama, is a species of lizard in the family Agamidae. The species is endemic to Sri Lanka. It is called kagamuva angkatussa-කගමුව අං කටුස්සා in Sinhala.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spineless forest lizard</span> Species of lizard

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<i>Calotes ceylonensis</i> Species of lizard

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<i>Calotes nigrilabris</i> Species of lizard

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Ceratophora karu, also known as Karu's horned lizard or Karu's horn lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Agamidae. The species is endemic to Sri Lanka.

<i>Cophotis ceylanica</i> Species of lizard

Cophotis ceylanica, the Ceylon deaf agama, is an agamid species endemic to Sri Lanka.

Calotes desilvai, commonly known as the Morningside lizard, or the Ceylon black-band whistling lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Agamidae. Calotes desilvai is one of seven Calotes species endemic to Sri Lanka.

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<i>Lankascincus taprobanensis</i> Species of lizard

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Lankascincus taylori, commonly known as Taylor's tree skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the island of Sri Lanka.

Calotes manamendrai is an agamid lizard endemic to Sri Lanka. Locally known as මනමේන්ද්‍ර-ආරච්චිගේ උරුවන් කටුස්සා.

References