The Indian Subcontinent provides suitable habitats to various species of reptiles for residing and reproducing. Lizards are no exception in this regard. Various types of lizards have been recorded in India. Some of these lizards are described below.
Khasi Hills Forest Lizard
In India, Khasi Hills Forest Lizard has been traced on Khasi Hills in Assam and Mizoram. This lizard has orange-yellow iris with black pupil. It is yellowish green in colour and has blue patterns on the sides. There are two parallel rows of compressed scales on the head just above the tympanum. It has extra flap of skin on the side of the abdomen. It has white coloured tail with brown patterns on it.
Indo-Chinese Forest Lizard
In India, Indo-Chinese Forest Lizard has been traced on Khasi Hills in Assam and Shillong. This compressed bodied lizard displays deep-green dorsal coloration with yellow, orange or brown spots, but it is important to note that this lizard can also assume a dark brown coloration within a few seconds. Its gular scales are much larger than the ventral scales. In front of the shoulders, there is an obliquely curved fold covered with small granular scales.
Hardwicke`s Bloodsucker
In India, Hardwicke`s Bloodsucker has been traced in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Odhisa. This lizard has large and elongated head, which is flat above and slopes towards the snout. Interior of the mouth is ink-blue in colour. The lizard has dark-brown and orange coloured throat which is profusely spotted. Its belly is evident as yellowish-white with numerous orange dots. This small stocky and pot-bellied lizard has olive-brown dorsal colour. There are dark-brown cross bars present on the limbs of the lizard.
Southern Flying Lizard
In India, Southern Flying Lizard has been recorded along the Western Ghats and associated hill forests of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa and some parts of Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh. This brown colored lizard has round head. The snout is short and the nostrils are pointed upwards. A horn-like conical tubercle behind and above the posterior part of the eye is prominent. There are patches of grey present on the body of the bird.
Elliot`s Forest Lizard
Elliot`s Forest Lizard is endemic to the Western Ghats. This lizard is olive coloured above, with more or less distinct angular dark-brown cross bands on the body. It has an angular black mark on each side of the neck and a white spot below the orbit.
Other Indian Lizards
Orange-Lipped Forest Lizard, Common Green Forest Lizard and Monitor Lizard are some of the other lizards which have been recorded in India.
