10 Most Colorful Lizards Found in The Western Ghats
Western Ghats or the Great Escarpment of India is a biodiversity hotspot and known for many undiscovered species of flora and fauna. Several endemic reptiles found in The Western Ghats of India are snakes like Striped coral snake, Malabar pit viper and lizards like Salea, Ristella, Kaestlea and new species of frogs.
Chamaeleo zeylanicus (Indian Chameleon)
Indian chameleon is the only species found in India and Sri Lanka with unique qualities such as able to change skin colour, long tongue, independent eye movement and a prehensile tail.
Chamaeleo zeylanicus change body colour according to the available habitat and diurnal, nocturnal and arboreal, found in Southern Part of India.
Calotes versicolor (Changeable Garden Lizard)
Oriental garden lizard is an insectivore that eat mainly insects such as grasshoppers, crickets and ants. The changeable lizards are related to iguanas and able to move their each eyes in different directions like chameleon.
Sitana ponticeriana (Fan Throated Lizard)
The fan throated lizard is a small species of dragon lizard, found mostly on the ground and in open ground patches across the Western Ghats. Sitana ponticeriana is the most colourful agamid lizard and noted for its colourful patagium during the breeding season.
Draco dussumieri (Southern Flying Lizard)
The southern flying lizard is found in the hill forests of Western Ghats and only species of dussumieri in southern India. Draco dussumieri flying lizard lives on the trees and able to glide to adjoining trees.
Salea anamallayana (Anaimalai Spiny Lizard)
Anaimalai spiny lizard mostly found around the Anaimalai Hills and Meghamalai in the Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The arboreal agamid lizards are endemic to the Western Ghats and occurs in very high mountains and Shola forest ecosystems.
Calotes grandisquamis (Large Scaled Forest Lizard)
Large scaled forest lizard found in the rainforests of the Western Ghats, around the hills of Agumbe to Agasthyamalai. The green color arboreal species of dragon lizards is one of the known rare and lesser known species.
Calotes nemoricola (Nilgiri Forest lizard)
Nilgiri Forest lizard is a medium sized agamid lizard, found across the rainforest of Agumbe and Coorg of Karnataka, Anaimalai in Tamil Nadu and also in Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger reserve.
Calotes calotes (Green Forest Lizard)
Common green forest lizard is one of the large species of agamid or dragon lizards found in the Western Ghats. The green lizard are often has changeable stripes with bright red head during the breeding season.
Otocryptis beddomii (Indian Kangaroo Lizard)
Indian kangaroo lizard is named because of its habit of running on hind legs, endemic to the Western Ghats of South India and reported from evergreen forest of Sivagiri Hills and Cardamom Hills.
Psammophilus dorsalis (South Indian Rock Agama)
South Indian rock agama is one of the most common species of agama found on the hills of south India along with Blanford’s rock agama, resting or basking under the sun in the Western Ghats, Nilgiris and also in Eastern Ghats.
