Calotes cf. versicolor (Daudin, 1802)

Figueroa, Alex, Low, Martyn E. Y. & Lim, Kelvin K. P., 2023, Singapore’s herpetofauna: updated and annotated checklist, history, conservation, and distribution, Zootaxa 5287 (1), pp. 1-378 : 90-92

Calotes cf. versicolor (Daudin, 1802) — Non-native; Established.

Agama versicolor Daudin, 1802a: 395–397 , pl. 44. Neotype NCBS AT102 , designated by Gowande et al. (2016: 273); neotype designation later invalidated by Chaitanya et al. (2017: 586); neotype designation “still qualifies as per the Article 75.3.5 of the ICZN (1999)”, according to Gowande et al. (2021: 678).Type locality: None stated/traced; later designated as “ Pondichery ” (= Pondicherry), India by Kuhl(1820:114); later restricted to “ Pondicherry University Campus, Kalapet, Pondicherry, India (12.029097° N, 79.850343° E, elevation 34m)” via neotype designation .

Changeable Lizard

( Figure 10G ; Tengah Forest)

Singapore records.

Calotes versicolor — Flower, 1896: 872.—Ridley, 1899: 206.—N. Koh, 1986: 1–2 (National University of Singapore’s campus at Kent Ridge).—K. Lim & F. Lim, 1988b: 50 (Changi North; Holland Drive; Sea-side Park [Siglap]; Yishun Heronry [SKB]).—K. Lim & F. Lim, 1988c: 75 (Changi Central; Changi North; Pasir Panjang Hill).— Hall, 1988: 89 (Pasir Panjang Hill).—K. Lim & F. Lim, 1989: 3 (Woodlands Town Garden).—K. Lim, 1989b: 19 (Pulau Ubin; Sarimbun Camp).— Hall, 1989d: 33 (Pasir Panjang Hill).—K. Lim, 1989e: 39 (Bedok Reservoir).—K. Lim, 1990a: 11 (Bukit Timah Nature Reserve; Fort Road; Island Country Club; Westlake Park).—K.K.P. Lim & L.M. Chou, 1990: 50, 55.— Denzer & Manthey, 1991: 311.—Subharaj & K.K.P. Lim, 1991a: 3 (Pasir Ris Park Mangroves).—Subharaj & K.K.P. Lim, 1991b: 3 (King’s Avenue; Woodland Road).— Corlett, 1992: 418.—K.K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 1992: 107–108, 149.—K.K.P. Lim & Subharaj, 1992: 8 (Sembawang Park).—E.K. Chua, 1993: 119 (Orchard Road).—L.M. Chou et al., 1994: 105.— Diong et al., 1994: 46.—R. Subaraj, 1995: 33, 35 (Pulau Ubin).—Saum et al., 1997: 143, 144 (Ang Mo Kio Park ; Marina South Park).—R.C.H. Teo & Rajathurai, 1997: 388.— Manthey & Grossmann, 1997: 163.— Cox et al., 1998: 96.—Chan-ard et al., 1999: 21.— E.K. Chua, 2000: 106.— Hallermann, 2000: 160.—B.P.L. Goh et al., 2002: 57.— Karns et al., 2002: 488 (Pasir Ris Park Mangroves).—K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 2002: 150.— Anonymous, 2003: 92.— Ananjeva et al., 2007: 13.—H.T.W. Tan et al., 2007: 154.—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2008: 54, 75, 165.— Cheke, 2008: 71.— Mihalca et al., 2009: 222.—M.F.C. Ng, 2009: 59, 109 (Semakau Landfill [PS]).—P.K.A. Ng, 2009: 18.—E.K. Chua, 2010: 128 (Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve).— Das, 2010: 183.—H.T.W. Tan et al., 2010: 89, 241–242.—D.C.J. Yeo & C.S.W. Chia, 2010: 35.—M.A.H. Chua, 2011: 281 (Semakau Landfill [PS]).— Corlett, 2011b: 90.—L.L. Grismer, 2011b: 151, 155.—P.K.L. Ng et al., 2011: 261.—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2012: 75, 165.— Davison et al., 2012: 167.—M.F.C. Ng, 2012: 146.—H.H. Tan & K.K.P. Lim, 2012: 360–362 (Gardens by the Bay).—L.K. Wang et al., 2012: 256.—D.L. Yong et al., 2014: 203.—Chan-ard et al., 2015: 97.—E.K. Chua, 2015: 162.— McCleary & Ichtiarani, 2015: 303 (Bukit Batok Nature Park).—B.C. Ng & K.K.P. Lim, 2015: 51 (Orchidville Plant Nursery [Sungei Tengah Road]).—R. Subaraj, 2015: 19, 25, 32, 52, 54, 56 (Mandai Range Forest; Project Western Boundary [= MBP]; Singapore Zoo; Stephen Lee Woods [= RPN]).—S. Subaraj, 2015: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (Mandai Range Forest; Night Safari; Project Western Boundary [= MBP]; Singapore Zoo; Stephen Lee Woods [= RPN]; Upper Seletar Peninsula [= USNF]).—Hawkeswood & B. Sommung, 2016: 4.—K.K.P. Lim et al., 2016: 178 (Pulau Tekong).—Shu, 2016: 88 (Pasir Ris Park).—Thomas et al., 2016: 8 (Pulau Ubin).—N. Baker, 2018: 66.—Wee, 2018: 70 (Sian Tuan Avenue).—H.C. Ho et al., 2019: 125 (Alexandra Woodlands).—M.L. Kwak et al., 2019b: 268.—H.T.W. Tan et al., 2019: 129, 133 (Kent Ridge Park; National University of Singapore Kent Ridge Campus).—S.H. Tan & Chapman, 2019: 67 (Boon Tiong Road).—R.C.H. Teo & Thomas, 2019: 147, 155, 180 (Bukit Timah Nature Reserve).—Allain & Goodman, 2020: 216, 217 ( Singapore Botanic Gardens [Upper Palm Valley Road]).—J. Aw & M.E.Y. Low, 2020: 26.—van den Burg et al., 2020: 2.—H. Cai & Z. Wu, 2020: 147 (Jurong Lake Gardens).—I.T. Law, 2020: 191.—E.K. Chua, 2022: 88, 110, 167, 174, 181 (Dover; Lorong Halus Wetlands; Pasir Ris Park; Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve).— Ginal et al., 2022: 2–3 10, 13.— Janssen & Sy, 2022: 21, 148.

Calotes versicolor versicolor — Manthey, 2008: 88.

“Changeable Lizard”— Anonymous, 2014: 69, 100 ( Singapore Polytechnic).

Remarks. Undoubtedly the most commonly encountered herpetofauna in Singapore, C. versicolor arrived in Singapore in the 1980s presumably as a stowaway on trains and ships from northern Peninsular Malaysia or Thailand ( Lim & Chou 1990). Flower (1896) listed C. versicolor as occurring in Singapore citing Blanford (1881), but Blanford does not list Singapore as a locality for C. versicolor . Flower later corrected this in his second publication of the region stating that C. versicolor was not found in southern Peninsular Malaysia ( Flower 1899b). Ridley (1899) was most likely referring to Blanford (1881) and Flower (1896) when he mentioned C. versicolor in Singapore. The first actual report of C. versicolor in Singapore, comes over 100 years laters when a newspaper article reported a proliferation of C. versicolor at NUS Kent Ridge Campus ( Koh 1986). The next account reported records from across Singapore, suggesting that C. versicolor was quickly spreading ( Lim & Lim 1988b, c, 1989; Hall 1988; Lim 1989b, e, 1990a) and establishing itself throughout Singapore (Chou 1994). Calotes versicolor was also successful in invading some of Singapore’s offshore islands, including Pulau Semakau ( Chua 2011), Pulau Tekong ( Lim et al. 2016), and Pulau Ubin (Lim 1989b). Occurring simultaneously with this rapid conquest of Singapore by C. versicolor was the extensive and apparent displacement of the ecologically-equivalent, and native, B. cristatella ( Diong et al. 1994) , making C. versicolor an invasive species in Singapore.

Calotes versicolor has been introduced to several localities throughout the world, including Singapore, southern Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, the Andaman Islands, the Maldives, the Seychelles, Réunion and Mauritius, Diego Garcia, Oman, Kenya, and Florida (Das et al. 2008; Uetz et al. 2021). Once considered a wide-ranging species with a native range spanning from Iran east to southern China, and south to northern Peninsular Malaysia (Das et al. 2008), C. versicolor has since been shown to be a species complex with C. versicolor sensu stricto restricted to India (Gowande et al. 2016). Populations from Southeast Asia, specifically from northeast India, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, and China are recognised as C. irawadi (Gowande et al. 2016) . Thus, it is expected that native populations in northern Peninsular Malaysia are conspecific with C. irawadi , but this remains to be tested. If the Singapore population indeed originated from Peninsular Malaysia or Thailand, then they should be recognised as C. irawadi . However, a cursorial inspection of museum and field specimens, and photos, indicate that the Singapore population identifies more closely with C. versicolor (A. Figueroa pers. obs.). At this time, the identity of introduced populations of C. versicolor have not been examined relative to the new species that have been described.

Occurrence. Ubiquitous. Common.

Singapore conservation status. Not Applicable.

Conservation priority. None, non-native species.

IUCN conservation status. Least Concern [2021].

LKCNHM & NHMUK Museum specimens. Singapore (no locality) : ZRC.2.4626 (30-Aug-1997) ; Bedok Reservoir Park: ZRC.2.6856 (25-May-2009) ; Changi Beach: ZRC.2.4900 (08-Mar-2001) ; Dover Road: ZRC.2.6364 (1986); Fort Road : ZRC.2.3259 (26-Aug-1990) ; Greenbank Park: ZRC.2.5525 (25-Aug-2002) ; Kent Ridge Campus [ NUS] : ZRC.2.3393 (13-May-1988) , ZRC.2.2340 (30-Oct-1988) , ZRC.2.2512 (31-Jul-1989) , ZRC.2.2595– ZRC.2.2596 (Apr-1990) , ZRC.2.5432 (May-2002) ; Khatib Bongsu [ SKB] : ZRC.2.7297-7298 (15-Apr-2003) ; Pulau Ubin: ZRC.2.7103 (12-Nov-2013) .

Additional Singapore museum specimens. Singapore (no locality): SMNS.

Singapore localities. Alexandra Woodlands—Ang Mo Kio Park —Bedok Reservoir Park—Boon Tiong Road— Bukit Batok Nature Park—Bukit Timah Nature Reserve—Changi Beach—Changi Central—Changi North—Dover Road—Fort Road—Gardens by the Bay—Greenbank Park—Holland Drive—Jurong Lake Gardens—Kent Ridge Park—King’s Avenue—Lorong Halus Wetlands—Mandai Bird Park—Mandai Range Forest—Marina South Park—National University of Singapore Kent Ridge Campus—Night Safari— Orchard Road—Pasir Panjang Hill—Pasir Ris Park—Pasir Ris Park Mangroves—Pulau Semakau—Pulau Tekong—Pulau Ubin—Rainforest Park North—Sarimbun Camp—Siglap—Sembawang Park—Sian Tuan Avenue—Singapore Botanic Gardens—Singapore Island Country Club—Singapore Polytechnic— Singapore Zoo—Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve—Sungei Khatib Bongsu—Sungei Tengah Road—Tengah Forest—Upper Seletar North Forest—Westlake Park—Woodland Road—Woodlands Town Garden.

Genus Draco Linnaeus, 1758 (4 species)

Figures

FIGURE 10. A) Dogania subplana, B) Pelochelys cantorii, C) Pelochelys cantorii, D) Pelodiscus cf. sinensis, E) Aphaniotis fusca, F) Bronchocela cristatella, G) Calotes versicolor, and H) Draco fimbriatus. Photographs by: Kelvin K.P. Lim [A–B, D–E], Dr. Teo Eng Wah @ Vince Adam [C], Thio Hui Bing [F], Alex Figueroa [G], and Evan S.H. Quah [H].