Bloodsucker agame
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Calotes versicolor - female |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Calotes versicolor | ||||||||||||
| ( Daudin , 1802) |
The Blutsaugeragame ( Calotes versicolor ), also called Different colored nice lizard called, is a kind of beautiful lizards ( Calotes ) from the family of the Agama .
description
Calotes versicolor reaches a head-trunk length of up to 9.9 cm, the total length is 36 to 50 cm. The body is flattened on the sides. The tail is almost round, tapering to a point and takes 2/3 of the total length of the animal. The head is longer than it is wide and clearly set off from the trunk. The rear limbs are noticeably longer than the front and clearly clawed.
The coloring is extremely variable, to which the specific epithet also refers ("versicolor" from Latin "versō": "change"; "color" - "coloring"). With a basic color between clay yellow and yellowish-gray, a partially dark-lined lateral stripe extends from the eye to the sides of the tail. Horizontal stripes between the middle of the back and the flanks, a light transverse banding of the front tail and light spots on the flanks may be visible. There is a dark spot behind the eyes. The limbs are darkly banded across and lightly spotted. The ventral side is cream-colored to brownish. Young animals show a gray-brown basic color and continuous, light, cream-colored lateral stripes.
Gender dimorphism
Males have a clearly defined back crest that extends from the back of the head to the base of the tail. Older specimens have a larger head and a thicker tail. The animals show a remarkable ability to change colors. Overall, males are less contrasty than females.
The splendid coloring of the male is characteristic. First, a light, yellowish coloration of the head and a greenish-yellow neck and back can be observed. The neck and back eventually change color and change to a dark black-brown, while the throat and head stand out with an intense red color. A black band can be seen from the throat to the cheeks. The limbs become very dark, but the tail lightens up. Females have a short neck crest.
Scaling
The center of the body is surrounded by 38 to 44 rows of dorsal scales. 15 to 22 subdigital lamellae can be seen below the fourth finger. The fourth toe has 21 to 25 sub-digital lamellae. 10 to 12 supralabials (upper lip scales) and 9 to 11 sublabials (lower lip scales) can be seen on the head. The ventral side has rhomboid scales, which are strongly keeled; laterally and dorsally the scales show a less pronounced keel.
distribution and habitat
Calotes versicolor inhabits areas in Iran (southeast), Afghanistan , Pakistan , Nepal , Bhutan , India , Sri Lanka , Bangladesh , Myanmar , Thailand , Malaysia , Vietnam , Cambodia , Laos , China (south), Indonesia ( Sumatra ) and Singapore . The species was also introduced to Sulawesi , the Maldives and Seychelles , Mauritius and the USA ( Florida ), Kenya (Southwest) and Oman . The populated habitats are represented by open, wooded grasslands, gardens and public parks, clearings and the like. The biotopes are characterized by walls, pillars, rocky slopes and the like. Calotes versicolor is a cultural descendant that can also be found in human settlements.
Way of life
Calotes versicolor leads a shy way of life. The prey spectrum includes insects, arachnids, small reptiles, amphibians, young birds, eggs and small mammals.
Behavior and reproduction
After a seasonally cooler phase during the winter months, the mating season sets in. Males show a pronounced territorial behavior. When excited, males show intense red throat skin and head. The body is straightened and flattened as part of the impressive behavior. The raised throat skin is presented with a violent nod of the head. In the case of inferior males, the color changes to brownish-gray. During territorial fights there are confrontations in which the animals cling to each other with their arms on their hind legs and tail and try to bite. This can lead to serious injuries; if necessary, fights are ended prematurely by the withdrawal of an opponent. When courting females, the body is also presented erect on all four limbs with a conspicuous display of the head and throat coloring. The copulation, which lasts a few seconds, takes place several times at intervals of around 20 minutes and is carried out on the ground or on tree trunks. During copulation, the female is clutched by the male.
Reproduction takes place through oviparia , i.e. laying eggs. A clutch is buried in the earth at a depth of 8 to 15 cm and includes up to 25 leathery eggs, which measure 7 to 16 mm. In captivity, they hatch at an incubation temperature of 22 to 30 ° C after 37 to 79 days (79 days at 22 to 23 ° C). The adolescent animals reach sexual maturity after about 9 to 12 months.
Systematics
The taxon was established in 1802 by the French zoologist François-Marie Daudin , the first description was as Agama versicolor . Leopold Fitzinger introduced the type in 1826 under the name Calotes versicolor .
Subspecies
Two subspecies of Calotes versicolor are currently recognized:
- Calotes versicolor farooqi Auffenberg & Rehmann 1995
- Calotes versicolor versicolor ( Daudin 1802)
Synonyms
Important synonyms are:
- Agama versicolor Daudin 1802
- Agama tiedemanni Kuhl 1820
- Agama vultuosa Harlan 1825
- Calotes versicolor Fitzinger 1826
- Agama indica Gray 1827
- Calotes versicolor Duméril & Bibron 1837
- Calotes cristatus Jaquemont 1844
- Calotes viridis Gray 1846
- Calotes gigas Blyth 1853
gallery
A young, male bloodsucker agame ( Calotes versicolor )
A female bloodsucker agame ( Calotes versicolor )
Calotes versicolor , Thailand
Calotes versicolor , India
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Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f g h The Reptile Database : Calotes versicolor , accessed on: February 23, 2020.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i Nietzke, Günther: The terrarium animals 2: turtles, bridge lizards and lizards. 4th edition. Publishing house Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 1998.
