Otocryptis beddomii
Encyclopedia
The Indian Kangaroo Lizard (Otocryptis beddomii) is a species of agamid lizard found in south India
(Thenmala in Kerala; Western Ghats; previously reported from Courtallam hills; Sivagiri Ghats, Cardamom Hills)
The species is named after Richard Henry Beddome
, 1830–1911, British army officer and botanist. It is related to the Sri Lankan Kangaroo Lizard (Otocryptis wiegmanni
).
Head-scales sharply keeled as in O. bivittata but the interorbitals only a little smaller than the others, in two or three longitudinal series ; the inverted Y-shaped figure formed by the keels of some of the scales generally indistinct ; canthus rostralis less prominent ; 9 or 10 upper and as many lower labials. A small pit on each side of the neck, in front of the shoulder. Dorsal scales unequal, the enlarged ones sometimes forming regular chevrons on the back, with the point directed backwards, or a lateral longitudinal series, the latter always distinct on the sacral region ; lateral scales a little smaller, with scattered enlarged ones ; ventral scales much larger than dorsals. Limbs above with large equal keeled scales ; the hind limb stretched forwards reaches beyond the tip of the snout, the heel reaches the tympanum. Tail round, slender, not twice as long as head and body, covered with equal strongly keeled scales.
Light brownish olive above, uniform, or with small scattered dark-brown spots on the back and limbs ; a more or less distinct light
dark-edged oblique band from below the eye to the mouth ; lower surfaces whitish, the throat brownish in the young.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
(Thenmala in Kerala; Western Ghats; previously reported from Courtallam hills; Sivagiri Ghats, Cardamom Hills)
The species is named after Richard Henry Beddome
Richard Henry Beddome
Colonel Richard Henry Beddome was a British military officer in India, chief conservator of the Madras Forest Department and a naturalist...
, 1830–1911, British army officer and botanist. It is related to the Sri Lankan Kangaroo Lizard (Otocryptis wiegmanni
Otocryptis wiegmanni
Brown-patched Kangaroo lizard , also called Wiegmann's Agama or Sri Lankan Kangaroo Lizard, is a small, ground dwelling agamid lizard endemic to the wet zone forests and lower mountain forests of Sri Lanka. It is commonly seen in the leaf litter of shady rain forests...
).
Description
From snout to vent 1.75 inches ; tail 3 inches.Head-scales sharply keeled as in O. bivittata but the interorbitals only a little smaller than the others, in two or three longitudinal series ; the inverted Y-shaped figure formed by the keels of some of the scales generally indistinct ; canthus rostralis less prominent ; 9 or 10 upper and as many lower labials. A small pit on each side of the neck, in front of the shoulder. Dorsal scales unequal, the enlarged ones sometimes forming regular chevrons on the back, with the point directed backwards, or a lateral longitudinal series, the latter always distinct on the sacral region ; lateral scales a little smaller, with scattered enlarged ones ; ventral scales much larger than dorsals. Limbs above with large equal keeled scales ; the hind limb stretched forwards reaches beyond the tip of the snout, the heel reaches the tympanum. Tail round, slender, not twice as long as head and body, covered with equal strongly keeled scales.
Light brownish olive above, uniform, or with small scattered dark-brown spots on the back and limbs ; a more or less distinct light
dark-edged oblique band from below the eye to the mouth ; lower surfaces whitish, the throat brownish in the young.