12 December 2018

Pale Agama - Tanoumah

Whilst in Tanoumah I found a lizard that looks like Pale Agama Trapelus pallidus hassi on a large roadside boulder and another on a dry-stone wall in the Tanoumah area. The species is normally found in rocky areas and open plains, preferring vegetation areas. This lizard has a medium-sized body up to 15 cm in length, with a tail up to 30 cm. The general body color is light gray, characterized with rhomboidal strikes on the back with dark rings on the tail. The head isrelatively large and triangle shaped. The limbs end with long sharp clawed fingers. Dorsal color sandy gray, back usually with 4 brown transverse bands; the band at mid-body is weakly defined or absent. Tail barred. Venter white; throat usually plain, sometimes with faint marks. Dorsal pattern becomes rather inconspicuous in adult males. In nuptial condition, the whole head becomes pale lead-gray in males, while in females it is suffused pale orange-red. Juveniles are sandy gray with a strong dorsal pattern.
Pale Agama Trapelus pallidus hassi

Pale Agama Trapelus pallidus hassi

Pale Agama Trapelus pallidus hassi

Pale Agama Trapelus pallidus hassi