Rock Dragon

This species of lizard has a large head that is elongated and depressed, with the cheeks swollen in adult males. The snout is longer than the diameter of the orbit (eye cavity). The upper head scales are unequal and smooth or obtusely keeled, the scales being larger on the sinciput (brow) than on the occiput. The canthus rostralis and supraciliary (brow) has a clear and sharp edge, two small separated spines or groups of spines above the ear are present or absent; the diameter of the tympanum is half or a little more than half that of the orbit; it has 10 to 13 upper and as many lower labial scales. The body is slightly flattened; dorsal scales are small, uniform, smooth, or feebly keeled in the adult, and strongly keeled in the young, all pointing backwards and upwards; the dorsal crest is reduced to a ridge of enlarged scales; ventral scales are as large as the dorsals, and smooth (keeled in the young); from 115 to 150 scales occur around the middle of the body; the gular (under chin) scales are a little smaller than the ventral (underside) scales; four or five enlarged scales occur on the chin parallel with the anterior labials, separated from them by two rows of scales; a strong transverse fold covered with small scales is seen across the throat; the nuchal and dorsal crests are merely tooth-like protrusions. …

They are found in southern India, south of about 16°N latitude. In the Western Ghats, Nilgiris, South Arcot, and Nallamalai Hills, they are found in the hilly regions at altitudes up to 6000 ft above sea level in the Nilgiris. It is very common in some parts of the Nilgiris and it was noted as being particularly common near Bangalore by M.A. Smith in The Fauna of British India.

== References ==

Males bask openly on exposed rocks and show head push-up displays. The larger males take up higher perch positions. They flatten their bodies when birds fly overhead. Densities of about 90 lizards per hectare have been noted.