New kangaroo lizard species

About New kangaroo lizard species

• Researchers named the new, scaly reptiles after the Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered of Existence (EDGE) program through the Zoological Society of London.
• The new species Agasthyagama edge or the northern kangaroo lizard belongs to the Agamidae family.
• A group of scientists discovered the new species from the southern Western Ghats at Kulamavu in Idukki.
• The species is the second one of the Agasthyagama genus after A. beddomii or Indian kangaroo lizard that has been previously reported from Sivagiri hills in Tamil Nadu.
• Features
  • o A reduced fifth toe makes these reptiles poor climbers and hence do not climb trees like other lizards.
  • o Instead, they are mostly terrestrial and found in areas with dense leaf litter cover.
  • o They feed on small insects, this variety of kangaroo lizard run fast and hide within dry leaves to evade predators.
  • o It is known to have a maximum snout-vent length of 4.3 cm.

Q1) Where is Western Ghats?

It is also called Sahyadri, a north–south-running range of mountains in western India. It forms the crest of the western edge of the Deccan plateau parallel to the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghat is a biodiversity hotspot, a biologically rich but threatened region and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Source: Scientists discover new kangaroo lizard species from Western Ghats