Neon blue dragon discovered in Vietnamese rainforest

mongabay.com
January 15, 2013

German and Russian biologists have discovered a stunning new species of lizard in Vietnam. The species, dubbed Calotes bachae, is described in a recent issue of the journal Zootaxa.

Calotes bachae is a type of agama, a group of lizards commonly known as "forest dragons." It was described after DNA research led by Timo Hartmann, a PhD candidate from the Museum Koenig in Bonn, Germany, revealed it was genetically distinct from another blue lizard species found in Myanmar and Thailand. In other words, it is what scientists call a cryptic species — one that has been hiding in plain sight.

Calotes bachae is not particularly rare nor difficult to find, according to the zoologists.

“To observe the new species no exhausting march into the remote rainforests of Vietnam is necessary. These lizards seem to have arranged themselves well with humans, even in the centre of the metropolis Ho Chi Minh City one can find them within parks and flower beds”, said study co-author Peter Geissler, also a PhD candidate at Koenig.

Calotes bachae is a small lizard, measuring up to 4 inches (10 cm) in length. Like many other agamids, males are characterized by bright colors during the mating season. Females and juveniles are drabber in coloration. Both males and females are capable of changing colors to better match their surroundings. For example at night, Calotes bachae is typically dark brown.