Japalura austeniana explained

Japalura austeniana, also known commonly as the Abor Hills agama or Annandale's dragon, is a rare species of lizard in the family Agamidae. The species is endemic to Asia.

Etymology

The specific name, austeniana, is in honor of English topographer Henry Haversham Godwin-Austen.^[1]

Geographic range

J. austeniana is found in Bhutan and India (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh).

Type locality: "Hills near Harmatti, Assam"^[2] (= Dafla Hills, Assam, fide M.A. Smith 1935).

Rediscovery

This species, J. austeniana, was previously known only from its holotype, but was rediscovered in 2006 at Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh.^[3]

Description

The holotype of J. austeniana, a female, has a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 9cm (04inches). The tail is very long, 23cm (09inches).^[2]

Reproduction

J. austeniana is oviparous.

Further reading

• Das A, Das I (2007). "Rediscovery of Mictopholis austeniana (Annandale, 1908) (Squamata: Agamidae)". Current Herpetology 26 (1): 45–47.
• Smith MA (1935). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. II.—Sauria. London: Secretary of State for India in Council. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 440 pp. + Plate I + 2 maps. (Mictopholis, new genus, p. 149; Mictopholis austeniana, new combination, p. 165, Figure 50).

Notes and References

1. [Richard Allen "Bo" Crombet-Beolens|Beolens B]
2. [Nelson Annandale|Annandale N]
3. [Ramana Athreya|Athreya R]