Acanthocercus cyanocephalus (FALK, 1925)
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Acanthocercus cyanocephalus?
Acanthocercus cyanocephalus
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| Higher Taxa | Agamidae (Agaminae), Sauria, Iguania, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Falk’s Blue-headed tree agama G: Falks Blaukehlagame |
| Synonym | Agama cyanocephala FALK 1925: 83 Stellio angolensis BOCAGE 1866 (nom. nud. fide WAGNER et al. 2018) Acanthocercus cyanocephalus — CONRADIE et al. 2016 Acanthocercus cyanocephalus — MARQUES et al. 2018 Acanthocercus cyanocephalus — WAGNER et al. 2018: 797 |
| Distribution | Angola, N Namibia, NW Zambia, SE Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire) Neotype locality: “garden in Ikelenge (-11.241592, 24.273256), northern Mwinilunga District” (Zambia). Original type locality: “Angola” without further precision. |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Neotype: ZFMK 88492 (collector P. Wagner) designated by Wagner et al. (2018: 27). Note that Falk 1925 did not designate a holotype. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Acanthocercus cyanocephalus is characterized by its large size and the relatively short tail. There are relatively few enlarged, keeled, spinose scales on a matrix of small smooth scales, vertebral region with only very slightly enlarged scales, only half of the size or smaller than the enlarged keeled, spinose scales. It is a large member of the genus with a total length up to 350 mm (SVL: 113–147 mm, x = 136.8 mm, n = 8), tail short, about 1.3 times longer than the SVL. Head distinctly broad in males like in other species of the genus. Ear openings about the same size or slightly smaller than the eyes, with the tympanum visible. Occipital scale lacking. Nostril slightly below the canthus rostralis. No vertebral crest. Scales arranged in 100–119 (x = 109.8, n = 8) rows around midbody and 58–78 (x = 71.4, n = 8) longitudinal rows along the vertebrate. Matrix scales small, usually smooth and scattered with enlarged keeled scales. Enlarged scales usually not organized in rows or clusters. Vertebral scales keeled, with a higher density of enlarged scales as on the flanks. Gular scales flat, smooth, juxtaposed and becoming smaller towards the gular fold. Ventral scales small and smooth, in 74–94 (x = 83, n = 8) longitudinal rows. Males with usually two continuous rows of 24–26 precloacal pores, which are lacking in females (Wagner et al. 2018: 799). |
| Comment | Description: the original description by Falk is quite cursory, without a proper diagnosis: “Das ganze Tier von Kopf bis Schwanz ist ungefähr 35 cm lang. Der große, dreieckige , mit mächtigen Kaumuskeln versehen Kopf mißt ungefähr 7 cm, der starke, mit Biertelschuppen [maybe typo for “Wirtel-”] bedeckte Leib ist gut 15 cm lang. Die Oberseite des sich stets nur an und auf Bäumen aufhaltenden Tieres ist ein Baumstammgrün, nur der Kopf ist in ein wunderbares, leuchtendes Blau getaucht, so daß ich, falls diese Agame noch nicht benannt ist, den Namen: “Agama cyanocephalal” vorschlagen möchte.” Distribution: Acanthocercus atricollis is not in Angola but Acanthocercus cyanocephalus is, fide Marques et al. 2018. See map in Wagner et al. 2018: 794 (Fig. 10) and Wagner et al. 2021: 459 (Fig. 8). Habitat: Specimens were collected on trees in Miombo woodland, gardens and plantations. One specimen was hiding in a termite mound, directly beside a large tree. In northern Namibia (Ovamboland) specimens were abundant and conspicuous on trees and parti- cularly on isolated trees surrounding water bodies (pers. obs. A. Bauer.) In Manono (DRC) the individuals were collected on man-made walls from small rocks and on buildings in the town in human disturbed areas, but not on trees (Wagner et al. 2018: 801). Diet: A stomach content analysis of vouchers (PEM 6360–6373) from the type locality and Sanolumba Village (southern DRC) found several types of arthropods: spiders, caterpil- lars, ants, termites, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Orthoptera and Coleoptera (Wagner et al. 2018: 801). |
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