The Orange-lipped Forest Lizard (Calotes aurantolabium) is an agamid lizard found in the forests of the southern Western Ghats

Western Ghats

The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...

 and is currently known from the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve , situated in the Southern Western Ghats in Tirunelveli district, in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is the second largest protected area in Tamil Nadu State.-History:...

. The species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 was formerly included in Calotes andamanensis

Calotes andamanensis

The Andaman Garden Lizard or the Andaman and Nicobar Forest Lizard is an agamid lizard found on the Nicobar Islands, the Andaman Islands and Western Ghats of India. It is also known as the Green Crestless Forest Lizard or the Andaman Green Calotes...

of the Andaman Islands

Andaman Islands

The Andaman Islands are a group of Indian Ocean archipelagic islands in the Bay of Bengal between India to the west, and Burma , to the north and east...

, but recognized as distinct in 2008.

Description

Calotes aurantolabium 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 Calotes andamanensis

Calotes andamanensis

The Andaman Garden Lizard or the Andaman and Nicobar Forest Lizard is an agamid lizard found on the Nicobar Islands, the Andaman Islands and Western Ghats of India. It is also known as the Green Crestless Forest Lizard or the Andaman Green Calotes...

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

Calotes versicolor

The Oriental Garden Lizard, Eastern Garden Lizard or Changeable Lizard is an agamid lizard found widely distributed in Asia. It has also been introduced in many other parts of the world...

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 Calotes rouxii

Calotes rouxii

Roux's Forest Calotes or Roux's Forest Lizard is an agamid lizard found in the Western Ghats of India.-Description:From C. A. L. Gunther The Reptiles of British India....

and Calotes ellioti

Calotes ellioti

Calotes ellioti is an agamid lizard found in the Western Ghats.-Description:Upper head-scales feebly keeled, imbricate, much enlarged on supraorbital region; a small spine behind the supraciliary edge, and two others on each side, the anterior midway between the nuchal crest and the tympanum, the...

in lacking an antehumeral fold and spines, toe-IV and III subequal.

Holotype Bombay Natural History Society

Bombay Natural History Society

The Bombay Natural History Society, founded on 15 September 1883, is one of the largest non-governmental organizations in India engaged in conservation and biodiversity research. It supports many research efforts through grants, and publishes the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. Many...

(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.