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Family : AGAMIDAE
Species : Acanthosaura crucigera
Size (snout to vent) : up to 14 cm
Size (total length) : up to 35 cm ?
Acanthosaura crucigera
(Masked Horned Tree Lizard or Boulenger's Pricklenape) inhabits lowland,
hill and montane forest to 1800 metres elevation (Das, 2010). In common with
other species of Acanthosaura it is diurnal and mainly (but not
exclusively) arboreal.
There is a high degree of variability of colouration in most species of
Acanthosaura. Typical Acanthosaura crucigera, however, bear a
dark mask around the eyes, with the rest of the head and throat being pale.
There is also a dark patch on the nape, and a dark, narrow band at the
shoulder.
Well developed elongated ocelli (eye-like markings) are present along the
upper flanks. The spines which make up the nuchal and vertebral crests are
typically relatively short. The tail bears dark bands.
Three examples from Kaeng Krachan National Park, Thailand are shown here;
the park lies within the central part of the range of the species.
Based on a recently published map (Poramad Trivalairat et al, 2020), the
range of Acanthosaura crucigera in Indochina is limited to eastern/southern Myanmar and
western/southern Thailand. It is also reported from parts of northeast
India.
South of Indochina its range extends into parts of northern Peninsular
Malaysia, including the island of Langkawi. Some of these southernmost forms
are somewhat darker, and are referred to Acanthosaura cf. crucigera
(meaning that they appear similar to Acanthosaura crucigera) (Grismer
& Quah, 2019).
Figs 1 to 3 : Three examples from Kaeng Krachan National Park,
Phetchaburi Province, Thailand.
All photos thanks to Charles Currin
References : H11, H12
Grismer, L. L., & Quah, E. S. (2019). An updated and annotated checklist
of the lizards of Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, and their adjacent
archipelagos. Zootaxa, 4545(2), 230-248.
Poramad Trivalairat, Kirati Kunya, Lawan Chanhome, Montri Sumontha,
Taksa Vasaruchapong, Nirut Chomngam, Krittiya Chiangkul. (2020).
Acanthosaura aurantiacrista (Squamata: Agamidae), a new long horn
lizard from northern Thailand. Biodiversity Data Journal, 8.
Links :
Reptile Database
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