Leiolepis belliana (Hardwicke and Gray, 1827)

Cook-Price, Dawn R., Makchai, Sunchai, Naithani, Archana, Pawangkhanant, Parinya & Suwanwaree, Pongthep, 2025, Lizard survey of Ko Pha-gnan in the Surat Thani Province, Thailand, Biodiversity Data Journal 13, pp. e 154712-e 154712 : e154712-

Leiolepis belliana (Hardwicke and Gray, 1827)

Common butterfly lizard.

Distribution

This species has a specialised habitat consisting of coastal sandy or scrub areas with loose sandy soil. Twenty-five individuals were detected in only two of the thirteen human disturbed forest transects along the coast in rocky, sandy areas. Though this lizard was detected in human disturbed forest areas, it is worth noting that they were detected very near National Park boundaries and are likely in National Park forest as well.

Notes

This species (Fig. 4 ) is a medium-sized, diurnal burrowing agamid lizard ( Lei et al. 2021). This species is one of five in the genus considered sexual (as opposed to parthenogenetic) ( Malysheva et al. 2006). Diet consists of a variety of insects and other invertebrates. Notable characteristics of this species include a flattened body, short limbs and distinctive fringed scales laterally between fore-limb and hind-limb (dorsal lateral) ( Grismer et al. 2014). Sexually active males display bright colours including alternating orange and black along the fringe with yellow lateral stripes and dotted markings throughout the dorsum ( Hartmann et al. 2012).

Figures

Figure 4. Agamidae lizards. A Calotes versicolor; B Calotes emma with evident post-ocular spine; C Calotes emma (photo credit: James Covert); D Draco maculatus (photo credit: Ton Smits); E Leiolepis belliana.