Microauris aurantolabium

Microauris aurantolabium, also known as the small-eared dragon or orange-lipped forest lizard is an agamid lizard found in the forests of the southern Western Ghats and is currently known from the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve.[2] The species was formerly included in Pseudocalotes andamanensis of the Andaman Islands,[3] but recognized as distinct in 2008.[1] It was also classified under Calotes until 2018, where it was transferred to its own genus, Microauris, on the basis of its divergence from Calotes.[4]

Microauris aurantolabium
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Reptilia
Order:
Squamata
Suborder:
Iguania
Family:
Agamidae
Genus:
Microauris

Pal et al, 2018
Species:
M. aurantolabium
Binomial name
Microauris aurantolabium
Krishnan, 2008[1]
Synonyms

Calotes aurantolabium Krishnan, 2008

Description

This species is diagnosed by having orange colored upper lips, green body; acutely keeled scales over body (dorsally and ventrally), head, and throat; postero-ventral orientation of the dorsal scales; antehumeral pit absent; 63 scales around midbody; small tympanum (5.5% HL); toe III and IV subequal. Distinguished from Pseudocalotes andamanensis in having acutely keeled dorsals, all of which are directed posteroventrally; antehumeral pit absent; acutely keeled ventrals, limb and head scales; smaller occipital, nuchal, temporal regions. Distinguished from all known species of the Calotes versicolor group in having posteroventral orientation of dorsal scales (posterodorsal in C. versicolor group). Distinguished from species of the Calotes liocephalus group in lacking antehumeral pit, and in having a proportionately smaller head, ulnar length proportionately longer, tibial length proportionately shorter. Distinguished from Monilesaurus rouxii and Monilesaurus ellioti in lacking an antehumeral fold and spines, toe-IV and III subequal.[1][2]

The species was eventually moved to its own genus, Microauris, on the basis of its extremely small tympanum, making it different from members of Calotes.[4]

Holotype: Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) 1436 (Orange-lipped forest lizard) an adult female, collected by N. M. Ishwar at Kakkachi in Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu, India in 1997.[1][2]

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References
  1. Krishnan, S. (2008). "New species of Calotes (Reptilia: Squamata: Agamidae) from the southern Western Ghats, India". Journal of Herpetology. 42 (3): 530–535. doi:10.1670/06-198.1.
  2. Calotes aurantolabium at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 17 January 2015.
  3. Ishwar, N.M. & Das, I. 1998 Rediscovery of Calotes andamanensis Boulenger 1891, and a reassessment of the type locality. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 95: 513-514
  4. PAL, SAUNAK; VIJAYAKUMAR, S.P.; SHANKER, KARTIK; JAYARAJAN, ADITI; DEEPAK, V. (19 September 2018). "A systematic revision of Calotes Cuvier, 1817 (Squamata: Agamidae) from the Western Ghats adds two genera and reveals two new species". Zootaxa. 4482 (3). ISSN 1175-5334.

Further reading
  • Boulenger, G.A. 1891 On new or little known Indian and Malayan reptiles and batrachians. Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (6) 8: 288-292


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