Calotes

Taxobox
name = Calotes


image_width = 240px
image_caption = "Calotes versicolor"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Reptilia
ordo = Squamata
familia = Agamidae
subfamilia = Draconinae
genus = "Calotes""Calotes" are lizards in the draconine clade of the family Agamidae. They are geographically restricted to South Asia, Myanmar and regions of Southeast Asia. The greatest diversity of the genus is from the Western Ghats and Northeast (India), Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. "Calotes" is distinguished from related genera in having uniform size dorsal scales, and lacking a fold of skin extending between the cheek and shoulder, and in having proportionately stronger limbs than "Pseudocalotes". Comapared to "Bronchocela", "Calotes" have a proportionately shorter tail and limbs. "Calotes" as we know it today was classified by Moody (1980) prior to which all of the above mentioned genera were included in this genus. The genus is still a heterogeneous group that may be divided into the "C. versicolor" and "C. liocephalus" groups. The former occurs through most of South Asia and further east. All species in this group have their dorsal and lateral scales directed upward. The latter is restricted to the southern Western Ghats and Sri Lanka. All species in this group have their scales directed back, or up and down, or down only.

Classification of genus "Calotes"

*"Calotes andamanensis"
*"Calotes aurantolabium"
*"Calotes bhutanensis"
*"Calotes calotes", Green Garden Lizard
*"Calotes ceylonensis", Painted-lip Lizard
*"Calotes chincollium"
*"Calotes desilvai"
*"Calotes ellioti"
*"Calotes emma", Forest Crested Lizard,
*"Calotes grandisquamis"
*"Calotes htunwini"
*"Calotes irawadi"
*"Calotes jerdoni"
*"Calotes kingdonwardi"
*"Calotes liocephalus", Crestless Lizard
*"Calotes liolepis", Whistling Lizard
*"Calotes maria"
*"Calotes medogensis"
*"Calotes mystaceus"
*"Calotes nemoricola"
*"Calotes nigrigularis", Black Cheeked Lizard
*"Calotes nigrilabris"
*"Calotes nigriplicatus"
*"Calotes rouxii"
*"Calotes versicolor", Common Garden Lizard, Changeable Lizard.

References

*HALLERMANN, J. AND W. BÖHME. 2000. A review of the genus Pseudocalotes (Squamata: Agamidae), with description of a new species from West Malaysia. Amphibia-Reptilia. 21: 193 – 210.
*HALLERMANN, J. 2005. A taxonomic review of the genus Bronchocela (Squamata: Agamidae), with description of a new species from Vietnam. Russian Journal of Herpetology. 12 (3): 167 – 182
*MOODY, S.M. 1980. Phylogenetic relationships and historical biogeographical relationships of the genera in the family Agamidae (Reptilia: Lacertilia). PhD dissertation. University of Michigan.
*SMITH, M.A. 1935. The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma: Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol II: Sauria. Taylor and Francis, London.
*ZUG, G.R., H.H.K. BROWN, J.A. SCHULTE II, AND J.V. VINDUM. 2006. Systematics of the garden lizards, Calotes versicolor Group (Reptilia, Squamata, Agamidae), in Myanmar: Central Dry Zone populations. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences series 4. 57 (2): 35 – 68.