Calotes mystaceus


Calotes mystaceus, the Indo-Chinese forest lizard is an agamid lizard found in China, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Description/Identification

Physical Structure: Upper head-scales smooth or feebly keeled, imbricate, scarcely enlarged on supraorbital region; a few small spines on each side of the head above the tympanum; latter measuring at least half the diameter of the orbit. Gular sac small; gular scales feebly keeled, as large as dorsals. An oblique fold in front of the shoulder. Dorso-nuchal crest well developed in the male, composed of falciform spines directed backwards, the longest measuring the diameter of the orbit; it gradually decreases in height on the back, being reduced to a mere denticulation on the sacrum. 45-53 scales round the middle of the body; dorsal scales keeled, nearly twice as large as ventrals, all directed upwards and backwards; ventral scales strongly keeled. The adpressed hind limb reaches the tympanum or the posterior border of the orbit; fourth finger slightly longer than the third. Tail a little compressed, at the base with a slightly serrated upper ridge.
Color Pattern: Background color grey to olive, frequently with large transverse red spots on the back; lips yellowish.
Length: Maximum: 42 cm., Common: 28 cm..
Maximum published weight: ? g.

Distribution

, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand , & Vietnam. And possibly found in Bangladesh, adjacent to Mizoram province of India.

Vernacular names

Bengali: নীল-মাথা গিরিগিটি, নীলা রক্তচোষা ।
Burmese: ပုတ်သင်ညို
Chinese: 白唇树蜥
English: Blue-crested lizard, Indo-Chinese bloodsucker, Indo-Chinese forest lizard, White-lipped calotes.
Hindi:girgit
Khmer : បង្គួយក្បាលខៀវខាងលិចទន្លេមេគង្គ
Lao: ກະປອມ gabpom
Thai: กะปอม/กิ้งก่า gabpawm/ginggaa
Vietnamese: ?

Habitat

& arboreal; diurnal; naturally found in forest, but can be found in treed neighborhoods and city parks.

Diet

Feeds on crickets, grasshoppers, moths, and other insects.

Reproduction

; -----.

Uses

No known practical uses. Plays an insectivorous role in its ecosystem.

Threat to humans

Non-venomous and harmless to humans. Can give a painful bite if handled, but is not dangerous.

IUCN threat status

Not Evaluated.