Japalura variegata GRAY, 1853
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Higher Taxa | Agamidae (Draconinae), Sauria, Iguania, Squamata (lizards) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | Variegated Mountain Lizard |
Synonym | Japalura variegata GRAY 1853: 388 Biancia niger GRAY 1853 (fide BOULENGER 1885) Japalura microlepis JERDON 1870: 76 (fide BOULENGER 1885) Japalura variegata — BOULENGER 1885: 308 Japalura yunnanensis ANNANDALE 1906 (not ANDERSON; fide SMITH 1935) Japalura bengalensis ANNANDALE 1912 (fide SMITH 1935) Japalura variegata — SMITH 1935: 173 Japalura variegata — WERMUTH 1967: 69 Japalura variegata — MACEY et al. 2000 Japalura variegata — KÄSTLE et al. 2013: 421 Japalura variegata — WANG et al. 2018 |
Distribution | N India (Sikkim, West Bengal: Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Mizoram), Nepal, Bhutan Type locality: Sikkim, Himalaya. |
Reproduction | oviparous |
Types | Syntypes: BMNH (NHMUK) 1946.8.14.4–5 (originally NHMUK 1853.8.12.7), one female and one halfgrown Syntypes: NHMUK 1853.8.12.5 and NHMUK 1946.8.14.2–3 (original number NHMUK 1853.8.12.6), one male and two females, Sikkim, coll. Sir J. Hooker [Biancia niger] Holotype: ZSI 12564 female, Buxa, Jalpaiguri district, Bengal frontier of Bhutan [bengalensis] Holotype: NHMUK 1946.8.14.10 (original number NHMUK 1870.11.29.44), female (Boulenger: 309, speci- men g), Sikkim, pres. T. C. Jerdon [microlepis] |
Diagnosis | Diagnosis (genus): Lizards of the genus Japalura sensu stricto differ from closely related genera by possessing the following morphological characteristics: (1) head width moderate, HW mostly <70% of HL; (2) nuchal and dorsal crest scales relatively low and thick, not significantly elongated into lanceolate spines, CL/HL<10%; (3) post-orbital and post-occipital spines absent; (4) gular scales mostly homogeneous in size; (5) size of scales on lateral jaw subequal in size across gular region; (6) dorsal scale significantly heterogeneous in size and shape, not regularly imbricate; (7) pair of distinctively enlarged, conical scales on nape above shoulder absent; (8) paravertebral rows of enlarged scales present on dorsolateral body; and (9) V-shaped ridges present along dorsal midline, formed by enlarged, keeled scales (Wang et al. 2018: 13) |
Comment | Synonymy mostly after WERMUTH 1967. Type species: Japalura variegata GRAY 1853 is the type species of the genus Japalura GRAY 1853. Schleich and Kästle (1998) revalidated the genus Oriocalotes Günther, 1864 and combined all species with a visible tympanum e.g. tricarinata in this genus, while placing species with a hidden tympanum, e.g. variegata into the genus Japalura (fide Ananjeva et al. 2017). |
Etymology | The Latin name ‘Japalura’ may be derived from a locality name in India, and the term is feminine gender. Wang et al. 2018 suggested the English common name as ‘Himalayan Dragon’, and the Chinese name as ‘攀蜥’ (pronounced as ‘Pan-Xi’). |
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