Calotes maria

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Calotes maria
CalotesFord.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. maria
Binomial name
Calotes maria
Gray, 1845 [2]

Calotes maria, also called commonly the Khasi Hills forest lizard and the Assam garden lizard, is a species of lizard in the subfamily Draconinae of the family Agamidae. The species is native to South Asia.

Contents

Geographic range

Calotes maria is found in Northeast India (Khasi Hills in Assam, Meghalaya, and Mizoram) [1] [3] and in Bhutan. [1] It is also reported from north-eastern Bangladesh. [4]

Etymology

The specific name, maria, may be in honor of English conchologist Maria Emma Gray, the wife of John Edward Gray, the describer of this species. [3] [5]

Morphology

The body of Calotes maria is compressed, whereas the tail is almost round, slender, feebly compressed, and covered with keeled scales. The head is large. Both males and females have moderately developed nuchal and dorsal crests. The dorsal colour is green with red streaks and spots. The male develops a brilliant red colour on its head during the breeding season. C. maria may attain a snout-to-vent length of 12 cm (4.7 in), and a tail length of 37 cm (15 in). [6]

Vernacular names

Behaviour

Calotes maria is arboreal and diurnal. [6]

Habitat

Calotes maria occurs in forests, generally close to streams, at elevations of 122–1,500 m (400–4,921 ft) above sea level. [1]

Diet

Calotes maria is mainly insectivorous, i.e., feeds on insects. [6] It is diurnal in its foraging behavior, i.e., active during daylight hours. [7]

Reproduction

Calotes maria is oviparous. [3] Like other lizards, it is also polygynandrous and promiscuous and both the male and the female mate with several partners. [8]

Conservation

Despite its relatively small range, Calotes maria has been assessed as of "least concern" – it is facing no major threats and is present in well-protected areas (Royal Manas National Park, Bhutan, and the adjacent Manas National Park, Assam; Lengteng Wildlife Sanctuary, Mizoram). [1] It is a rare species. [1] [6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Das, A. (2021). "Calotes maria". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021: e.T202857A2757369. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T202857A2757369.en . Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  2. Gray JE (1845). Catalogue of the Specimens of Lizards in the Collection of the British Museum. London: Trustees of the British Museum. (Edward Newman, printer). xxvii + 289 pp. (Calotes maria, new species, p. 243).
  3. 1 2 3 4 Calotes maria at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database . Accessed 13 March 2022.
  4. https://animalinformation.com/animal/khasi-hills-forest-lizard/
  5. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN   978-1-4214-0135-5. (Calotes maria, p. 168).
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Tikader, B.K.; Sharma, R.C. (1992). Handbook of India Lizards (PDF). Kolkata: Zoological Survey of India. p. 98.
  7. "Jerdon's Forest Lizard – Encyclopedia of Life". Eol.org. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
  8. Bull, C. Michael (2000). "Monogamy in lizards". Behavioural Processes. 51 (1–3): 7–20. doi:10.1016/S0376-6357(00)00115-7. PMID   11074308. S2CID   24077253 via ResearchGate.

Further reading