Painted Lip Lizard

Calotes ceylonensis

''Calotes ceylonensis'', commonly known as the painted-lipped lizard or the Sri Lanka bloodsucker, is a species of lizard in the family Agamidae. It is one of four ''Calotes'' species endemic to Sri Lanka.
A Painted Lip Lizard showing off its broadly-applied lipstick These only mildly silly lizards are found throughout much of Sri Lanka, but are generally not easy to find. My guide knew of one forest area in which they were common, and we saw about a dozen in an hour or two. Calotes ceylonensis,Geotagged,Sri Lanka,Summer

Appearance

''C. ceylonensis'' is a colorful, arboreal agamid. The length of the head is one and half times the width. The body is laterally compressed. The tail is long and slender, about or over twice the head-body length. The cheeks are swollen. Two separated spines can be seen above the tympanum. The nuchal crest is formed with low spines. Midbody scale rows number 54-60.

The dorsum is brown, with indistinct brown crossbands. The head and anterior part of body are blackish-brown. There is a bright red or reddish-orange stripe on the upper lip that extends to the back of the head. When the lizard is threatened, or agitated by stress, the brown-colored lip turns to a bright white color, as does the dorso-nuchal crest. The throat of adult males is black. The tail is brown with dark crossbands. The venter is pale brown with darker crossbands.

Behavior

''C. ceylonensis'' is active during the day on tree trunks.

Habitat

''C. ceylonensis'' is confined to monsoon forests, plantations, and home gardens in the dry and intermediate zones of Sri Lanka.

Reproduction

About 5-10 eggs, measuring 14.5 mm × 16.5 mm are produced at a time.

Food

The diet of ''C. ceylonensis'' comprises insects and other arthropods.

References:

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Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionChordata
ClassReptilia
OrderSquamata
FamilyAgamidae
GenusCalotes
SpeciesC. ceylonensis
Photographed in
Sri Lanka