Calotes are lizards in the draconine clade of the family Agamidae. They are geographically restricted to South Asia, Myanmar and regions of Southeast Asia. The greatest diversity of the genus is from the Western Ghats and Northeast (India), Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. Calotes is distinguished from related genera in having uniform size dorsal scales, and lacking a fold of skin extending between the cheek and shoulder, and in having proportionately stronger limbs than Pseudocalotes. Comapared to Bronchocela, Calotes have a proportionately shorter tail and limbs. Calotes as we know it today was classified by Moody (1980) prior to which all of the above mentioned genera were included in this genus. The genus is still a heterogeneous group that may be divided into the C. versicolor and C. liocephalus groups. The former occurs through most of South Asia and further east. All species in this group have their dorsal and lateral scales directed upward. The latter is restricted to the southern Western Ghats and Sri Lanka. All species in this group have their scales directed back, or up and down, or down only
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Agamidae
Subfamily: Draconinae
Genus: Calotes
Classification of genus Calotes
Calotes andamanensis
Calotes aurantolabium
Calotes bhutanensis
Calotes calotes, Green Garden Lizard
Calotes ceylonensis, Painted-lip Lizard
Calotes chincollium
Calotes desilvai
Calotes ellioti
Calotes emma, Forest Crested Lizard,
Calotes grandisquamis
Calotes htunwini
Calotes irawadi
Calotes jerdoni
Calotes kingdonwardi
Calotes liocephalus, Crestless Lizard
Calotes liolepis, Whistling Lizard
Calotes maria
Calotes medogensis
Calotes mystaceus
Calotes nemoricola
Calotes nigrigularis, Black Cheeked Lizard
Calotes nigrilabris
Calotes nigriplicatus
Calotes rouxii
Calotes versicolor, Common Garden Lizard, Changeable Lizard
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