Microauris is a monotypic genus of agamid lizard. Its only species is Microauris aurantolabium, also known as the small-eared dragon or orange-lipped forest lizard, found in the forests of the southern Western Ghats and is currently known from the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve.[3] The species was formerly included in Pseudocalotes andamanensis of the Andaman Islands,[4] but recognized as distinct in 2008.[2] 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.[5]
| Microauris | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Iguania |
| Family: | Agamidae |
| Genus: | Microauris Pal et al, 2018 |
| Species: | M. aurantolabium
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| Binomial name | |
| Microauris aurantolabium (Krishnan, 2008)[2]
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| Synonyms | |
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Description edit
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.[2][3]
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.[5]
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.[2][3]
References edit
- ^ Ganesh, S.R. (2021). Microauris aurantolabium. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T172675A158445818. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/172675/158445818. Downloaded 16 January 2022.
- ^ a b c d 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. S2CID 86131722.
- ^ a b c Calotes aurantolabium at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 17 January 2015.
- ^ 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
- ^ a b 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): 401–450. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4482.3.1. ISSN 1175-5334. PMID 30313808. S2CID 52973649.
Further reading edit
- 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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