''Calotes mystaceus'', the Indo-Chinese forest lizard or blue crested lizard, is an

agamid Agamidae is a family of over 300 species of iguanian lizards indigenous to Africa, Asia, Australia, and a few in Southern Europe. Many species are commonly called dragons or dragon lizards. Overview Phylogenetically, they may be sister to th ...

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia al ...

found in China,

South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;; ...

and

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...

Description/Identification

Physical Structure: Upper head-scales smooth or feebly keeled, imbricate, scarcely enlarged on supraorbital region; a few small spines on each side of the head above the tympanum; latter measuring at least half the diameter of the orbit. Gular sac small; gular scales feebly keeled, as large as dorsals. An oblique fold in front of the shoulder. Dorso-nuchal crest well developed in the male, composed of falciform spines directed backwards, the longest measuring the diameter of the orbit; it gradually decreases in height on the back, being reduced to a mere denticulation on the sacrum. 45-53 scales round the middle of the body; dorsal scales keeled, nearly twice as large as ventrals, all directed upwards and backwards; ventral scales strongly keeled. The adpressed hind limb reaches the tympanum or the posterior border of the orbit; fourth finger slightly longer than the third. Tail a little compressed, at the base with a slightly serrated upper ridge. Color Pattern: Background color grey to olive, frequently with large transverse red spots on the back; lips yellowish. Length: Maximum: 42 cm., Common: 28 cm. (Snout to vent 9.5 cm.). Maximum published weight: ? g.

Distribution

Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailan ...

, China (Yunnan),

India India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...

(Mizoram), Laos,

Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...

(Tenasserim to Naypyitaw = Naypyitaw, Mandalay, and Kachin State 6°00N, 97°30E,

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

(Chiang Saen) (north of the Isthmus of Kra), &

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making it ...

(South). It is also reported from

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million pe ...

(Chittagong Hill tracts), adjacent to Mizoram province of India. The Indochinese Bloodsucker is first documentation in Florida from

Okeechobee County Okeechobee County () is a county located in the Florida Heartland region of the state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 39,644. The county seat is Okeechobee. Okeechobee County comprises the Okeechobee, FL Micropolitan St ...

and

Glades County Glades County is a county located in the Florida Heartland region of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,126, making it the fourth-least populous county in Florida. Its county seat is Moore Haven. Awar ...

Vernacular names

Bengali: নীল-মাথা গিরিগিটি (Neel-matha girigiti), নীলা রক্তচোষা (proposed)। Burmese: ပုတ်သင်ညို (Pote Thin Nyo) Chinese: 白唇树蜥 English: Blue-crested lizard, Indo-Chinese bloodsucker, Indo-Chinese forest lizard, White-lipped calotes. Hindi:girgit Khmer (Cambodian): បង្គួយក្បាលខៀវខាងលិចទន្លេមេគង្គ Lao: ກະປອມ gabpom Thai: กะปอม/กิ้งก่า gabpawm/ginggaa Vietnamese: ?

Habitat

Terrestrial Terrestrial refers to things related to land or the planet Earth. Terrestrial may also refer to: * Terrestrial animal, an animal that lives on land opposed to living in water, or sometimes an animal that lives on or near the ground, as opposed to ...

arboreal Arboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some animals may scale trees only occasionally, but others are exclusively arboreal. The habitats pose num ...

;

diurnal Diurnal ("daily") may refer to: General * Diurnal cycle, any pattern that recurs daily ** Diurnality, the behavior of animals and plants that are active in the daytime * Diurnal phase shift, a phase shift of electromagnetic signals * Diurnal tem ...

; naturally found in forest, but can be found in treed neighborhoods and city parks.

Diet

Feeds on crickets, grasshoppers, moths, and other insects.

Reproduction

Oviparous Oviparous animals are animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive method of most fish, amphibians, most reptiles, and all pterosaurs, dinosaurs (including birds), a ...

; -----.

Uses

No known practical uses. Plays an insectivorous role in its ecosystem.

Threat to humans

Non-

venomous Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a ...

and harmless to humans. Can give a painful bite if handled, but is not dangerous.

IUCN threat status

Not Evaluated (NE).

References

* Hallermann, J. 2005 Mit Hörnern, Kämmen und Gleithäuten - die bizarren Baumagamen. Reptilia (Münster) 10 (1): 18-25

External links

* * http://itgmv1.fzk.de/www/itg/uetz/herp/photos/Calotes_mystaceus.jpg {{Taxonbar, from=Q2548440 Calotes Reptiles described in 1837 Taxa named by André Marie Constant Duméril Taxa named by Gabriel Bibron Reptiles of Myanmar Reptiles of Cambodia Reptiles of China Reptiles of India Reptiles of Laos Reptiles of Thailand Reptiles of Vietnam