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Bronchocela marmorata GRAY, 1845

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Higher TaxaAgamidae (Draconinae), Sauria, Iguania, Squamata (lizards)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Marbled Bloodsucker 
SynonymBronchocela marmoratus GRAY 1845: 242
Bronchocela marmorata — GÜNTHER 1873
Calotes marmoratus marmoratus — TAYLOR 1922: 136
Calotes marmoratus sanchezi TAYLOR 1922: 138
Bronchocela marmorata — MOODY 1980
Calotes marmoratus marmoratus — BROWN et al. 1996
Bronchocela marmorata — BARTS & WILMS 2003
Bronchocela marmorata — AMARASINGHE et al. 2022
Bronchocela marmorata — SUPSUP et al. 2026: 18 
DistributionPhilippines (Luzon, Polillo, Mindoro, Catanduares, Sibuan)

Type locality: Philippines.  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesHolotype: BMNH 1946.8. 11.16; Syntypes: ZMB , MSNG, NMW
Holotype: BSP 827 from Polillo Island, destroyed in WWII [sanchezi] 
DiagnosisDiagnosis (n=122): A moderately sized lizard with SVL reaching 123.6 mm (the largest among Philippine Bronchocela; Table 6; Figs. 10–12, 13A), distinguishable from its closely related congeners by the following combination of characters: nuchal crest composed of relatively long, narrow lanceolate spines reaching 9.0 mm (71% of specimens with spines 0.00–0.88 times longer than tympanum diameter; Fig. 13B); nuchal crest spines 8–13, continuous with dorsal crest (no gap in adults; Fig. 11A); dorsal scales 27–43 (Fig. 14A), composed of obtuse (anteriorly) to acute (posteriorly) transversely compressed dorsally projecting spines throughout body until base of tail; posteriorly oriented paravertebrals 2– 8 (Fig. 14B); upwardly oriented paravertebrals 0–2; subdigital lamellae of Finger III 24–34; loreal scales 5–8; canthal ridge sharp, vertically oriented; loreal region concave, emphasized by protruding canthal edges; head length 18.8– 35.8 mm; tympanum diameter 2.0–4.2 mm (0.31–0.63 times shorter than orbit); hand length 15.1–25.0 mm; forelimb length 40.9–64.4 mm(0.07–0.13 times shorter than hindlimb; Fig. 15A); hindlimb length 66.1–98.5 mm; Fig. 15B); lateral body scales broadly acute (Fig. 16A,B); proximal median tail scales uninterrupted; white infratympanic stripe extends to supralabial region (68.2%); chin stripes absent; chin and throat coloration of undisturbed live animals and preserved specimens bright white (Figs. 17A and 18A). (Supsup et al. 2026)


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CommentSynonymy: Specimens from Negros were all B. cristatella (Hallermann 2005). Hallermann (2005) also states that B. m. sanchezi cannot be distinguished from B. m. marmorata and therefore is a synonym of the nominate form. Lophyrus spinosus was resurrected from the synonymy of Bronchocela marmorata by Denzer et al. 2020. Calotes (Bronchocele) Philippinus PETERS 1867 was resurrected from the synonymy of marmorata by Supsup et al. 2026.

Distribution: not on Panay (M. Gaulke, pers. comm., 26 Dec 2012). 
EtymologyNamed after Latin marmorata, marbled. 
References
  • Alcala, A.C. 1986. Guide to Philippine flora and fauna. Vol. X. Amphibians and reptiles. Manila, Natural Resources Management Center, Ministry of Natural Resources, University of the Philippines: i-xiv + 1-195
  • Amarasinghe, ; A.A. THASUN; IVAN INEICH, AWAL RIYANTO, JAKOB HALLERMANN, NOVIAR ANDAYANI, A. ABINAWANTO, JATNA SUPRIATNA 2022. Taxonomy and distribution of a common arboreal lizard, Bronchocela jubata Duméril & Bibron, 1837 (Reptilia: Agamidae), with designation of its lectotype from Java, Indonesia. Zootaxa 5150 (1): 065–082 - get paper here
  • Amarasinghe, A. T., Jablonski, D., Poyarkov, N. A., Campbell, P. D., Ineich, I., Riyanto, A., ... & Hallermann, J. 2026. INTEGRATIVE TAXONOMIC REVISION OF THE Bronchocela cristatella (KUHL, 1820)(SQUAMATA: AGAMIDAE) SPECIES COMPLEX ACROSS THE INDONESIAN ARCHIPELAGO WITH DESIGNATIONS OF ESSENTIAL NAME-BEARING TYPES. Taprobanica 15 (2): 87–116 - get paper here
  • Barts, M. & Wilms, T. 2003. Die Agamen der Welt. Draco 4 (14): 4-23 - get paper here
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  • GOJO-CRUZ, Paul Henric P.; Leticia E. AFUANG, Juan Carlos T. GONZALEZ and William SM. GRUEZO 2018. Amphibians and Reptiles of Luzon Island, Philippines: the Herpetofauna of Pantabangan-Carranglan Watershed, Nueva Ecija Province, Caraballo Mountain Range. Asian Herpetological Research 9(4): 201–223 - get paper here
  • Gray, J. E. 1845. Catalogue of the specimens of lizards in the collection of the British Museum. Trustees of die British Museum/Edward Newman, London: xxvii + 289 pp. - get paper here
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  • GROSSMANN, W. 2009. The Change of Colour and Pattern in a Marbled Slender Agama, Bronchocela marmorata Gray, 1845. Sauria 31 (1): 23-27 - get paper here
  • Günther,A. 1873. Notes on some reptiles and batrachians obtained by Dr. Bernhard Meyer in Celebes and the Philippine Islands. Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1873: 165-172 - get paper here
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  • Supsup, Christian E.; Kier Mitchel E. Pitogo, Marites B. Sanguila, Jakob Hallermann, Wolfgang Denzer, Perry L. Wood Jr, Rafe M. Brown 2026. A Comprehensive, Archipelago-Wide Taxonomic Reassessment of the Genus Bronchocela (Squamata: Agamidae) in the Philippines, with Descriptions of Two New Species. Herpetological Monographs, 40(1), 1-44, - get paper here
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