Calotes geissleri P. & F. & T. & M. & A. & W. 2021, sp. n.

Calotes geissleri sp. n.

(Fig. 2, Clade B) urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: EC4DA90A-417D-48E6-8EA2-FA073D168425

Holotype. CAS 215539 (adult male, Fig. 6 A-B, Clade B) from Myanmar, Sagaing Division, Mon Ywa District, AK Park, Thabake Sae Camp [22.316806° N, 94.475556° E], collected by H. Win, T. Thin, S.L. Oo and H. Tun on June 9 th 2000.

Paratypes. CAS 210270 from Myanmar, Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park, Thabakesay (Log Cabin Camp) [22.318194° N, 94.475722° E]; ZFMK 97991 (formerly CAS 243200) from Myanmar, Chin State, Phalum District, Simggial village [23.762583° N, 93.546167° E, 1362 m.]; CAS 243028, CAS 243050 both from Myanmar, Magway Division, Gangaw District, Gangaw Township, Mauk village [22.335861° N, 94.144583° E, 205 m.].

Diagnosis. Alarge sized Calotes species with a known maximum SVL of 122 mm in males and 114 mm in females. Tail relatively short, up to 270 mm in males and 223 mm in females. The new species can be distinguished from other species of the complex by the combination of the following characters: 1) head and body very robust; 2) nuchal and dorsal crests continuous, composed of erect compressed scales, directed posteriorly, larger on the nuchal crest than on the dorsal crest, becoming smaller towards the tail; 3) 50–62 scale rows around midbody; 4) 35–45 vertebral spines and scales in males, 49–50 in females; 5) body scales small, homogeneous, feebly keeled and arranged in regular rows; 6) a short row of separated spines on both sides of the head, directing from the tympanum to the first scale of the nuchal crest; 7) extremities relatively short and robust; 8) oblique skin fold in front of the fore limbs, 9) head and body bluish, with a white band from the tip of the mouth along the upper lip, the tympanum and prominently continuing between the dorsolateral brownish orange body blotches on the body reaching the hind limbs, band as broad as the height of the tympanum on the head and above the front legs, becoming gradually narrower until the insertion of the hindlimbs; 10) three or more large distinct brownish orange blotches on both sides of the body between the limbs.

Description of the holotype. Moderately large male of 110 mm SVL. Tail relatively short (201 mm), extremities robust. Head large, distinct from the neck and lateral sides flat. Posterior parts of jaw angle swollen. Snout-tip blunt. Nostril in a single scale, separated from the labial scale by a single scale. Rostral and mental scales small. Canthus rostralis sharp and straight from the nostril to the posterior part of the eye, including six scales between the nostril and the eye and 12 supraciliary scales. Eleven supralabial scales on both sides of the head, separated from the orbit by five rows of small scales. Nine infralabial scales. Seven scales between the orbit and the tympanum, tympanum distinct, with a row of spiny scales from above the tympanum to the first scale of the nuchal crest. Scales on chin and throat keeled. Nuchal crest with 14 scales, dorsal crest with 21 scales. Spines of the nuchal crest larger than those of the dorsal crest, relatively uniform in height at the nuchal crest but gradually decreasing from posterior of the neck to the hind limbs. Dorsal and lateral body scales keeled, pointing upwards and backwards. Caudal scales keeled, directed backwards. Fore and hind limbs relatively robust, forth finger and fourth toe longest.

Male coloration. Males in breeding color with blue head and body (Fig. 6 C). Awhite band is present from the tip of the snout along the upper lips and the tympanum, predominantly continuing between the dorsolateral blotches on the lateral sides of the body to the hind limbs. The band is as broad as the height of the tympanum on the head and above the fore legs, becoming gradually narrower towards the insertion of the hind limbs. Three or more large distinct brownish-orange blotches on the lateral sides of the body between the limbs. Non-display coloration unknown.

Variation. Body measurements and meristic characters for adult individuals are given in Table 4. Specimens ranged in size from the smallest female with a SVL of 92 mm (CAS 210270) and the largest female with a SVL of 114 mm (CAS 243200) to the largest male with a SVL of 120 mm (CAS 243028). In general, adult males are larger than females, and have greater SVLs, tail lengths and head lengths and widths and fewer vertebral scales, including crest scales. While proportionally the heads of adult males and females are equal, males have proportionally wider heads than females, probably because of the swollen jaw angle. Dorsal coloration differs between sexes and both sexes are able to change coloration. Coloration characters (lateral stripe, blotches) are lighter or sometimes absent in females. Blue coloration on head and body. The stripe is distinctly present between the mental and the shoulder, becoming more indistinct between the blotches on the lateral sides of the body, and extending to above the hindlimbs. Irregular whitish dots of several scales are present on the lateral sides of the body in females.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronym formed in the genitive singular honoring Dr. Peter Geissler, Museum Natur und Mensch, Freiburg, Germany, in recognition of his work on the Southeast Asian herpetofauna in general, and his collection of Calotes bachae specimens in 2009 in particular, which initiated research on the Calotes mystaceus complex.

Distribution. The new species is documented only from Myanmar and India (e.g., BMNH 1956.1.11.98, specimens mentioned by Lalremsanga et al. [2010]).

Ecology. Calotes geissleri sp. n. is diurnal and semi-arboreal. Preferred habitats are unknown. Lalremsanga et al. (2010) collected one individual on a branch of Pinus kesiya, about 3m above the ground, in a secondary forest. The specimen was kept and remained greyish brown in coloration in captivity, but changed the color of the head and anterior portion of the trunk to bright blue minutes after exposure to the sun.Like other Calotes species, C. geissleri sp. n. feeds on arthropods like Coleoptera, Formicidae and others. In India (see Lalremsanga et al. 2010) the species occurs in sympatry with Calotes jerdoni and C. versicolor.

Calotes geissleri sp. n. (n = 6): BMNH 1856.1.11.98, CAS 210270, CAS 215539, CAS 243028, CAS 243050, CAS 243200 (now ZFMK 97991).