Sitana devakai Amarasinghe, Ineich, Karunarathna, Botejue & Campbell, 2015, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Thasun Amarasinghe, A. A.
name: Ineich, Ivan
name: Suranjan Karunarathna, D. M. S.
name: Botejue, W. Madhava S.
name: Campbell, Patrick D.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Reptilia
Squamata
Agamidae
Sitana
Sitana devakai

description: Sitana devakai sp. nov. Amarasinghe, Ineich & Karunarathna
(Figs. 3, 4; Tables 1–3)
Litana Ponticereana [sic]— Kelaart (1854) [partim].
Sitana ponticeriana — Smith (1935) [partim]; Taylor (1957) [partim]; Wermuth (1967) [partim]; Manamendra-Arachchi & Liyanage (1994) [partim]; Erdelen (1998) [partim]; Das & de Silva (2005) [partim]; de Silva (2006) [partim]; Somaweera & Somaweera (2009) [partim]; Manthey (2010) [partim].
Sitana ponticeriana ponticeriana — Deraniyagala (1953) [partim].
Sitana ponticertiana [sic]— Bahir & Surasinghe (2005) [partim].
Holotype. Male, WHT 0111E, SVL 45.6 mm, collected at Nagagamuwa-Puttalam, Sri Lanka (8°10′N, 79°50′E), alt. 2 m, by K. Manamendra-Arachchi & D. Gabadage, 9 October 1993.
Paratypes. Males, WHT 0174A–B, respective SVL 41.1 mm and 40.0 mm, collected at Palavi-Puttalam, Sri Lanka; Male, WHT 1417, SVL 43.9 mm, collected at Angamuwewa-Rajanganaya, Sri Lanka; Male, WHT 1424A, SVL 39.9 mm, collected at Mundel-Puttalam, Sri Lanka; Female, WHT 0174C, SVL 42.7 mm, collected at Palavi- Puttalam, Sri Lanka; Females, WHT 0111B–C, respective SVL 42.0 mm and 44.9 mm, collected at Nagagamuwa- Puttalam, Sri Lanka; Sub adult male, WHT 1424B, SVL 38.6 mm, collected at Mundel-Puttalam, Sri Lanka; Sub adult females, WHT 0111A,D, respective SVL 37.6 mm and 38.1 mm, collected at Nagagamuwa-Puttalam, Sri Lanka. All those specimens were collected by D. Gabadage.
Diagnosis for adult males. Sitana devakai sp. nov. differs from each congener by having the following characters: S. bahiri sp. nov.: longer throat-fan ADW 29.9–32.5% of AG (vs. shorter, ADW 28.3–29.2% of AG), midbody scale rows 57–59 (vs. 49–56), ventral scale number 100–108 (vs. 87–89), abdominal scales pointed (vs. bluntly pointed), equal and regular lateral scales with intermediate enlarged scales (vs. unequal and irregular lateral scales with intermediate enlarged scales), breeding-males with bright red colour patch (vs. bleached orange colour patch); S. deccanensis: smaller SVL 40.0– 45.6 mm (vs. larger SVL above 60.0 mm), snout longer ES 57.2–63.2% of HW (vs. shorter, ES 53.1–53.4% of HW), throat-fan shorter ADW 29.9–32.5% of AG (vs. longer, ADW 50.3–60.2% of AG), femur shorter FEL 72.2–78.4% of TBL (vs. longer, FEL 79.7–82.9% of TBL), foot longer FOL 154.7–180.2 of HL (vs. shorter, FOL 131.9–144.6% of HL), supralabials 8–9 (vs. 12), midbody scale rows 57–59 (vs. 66–70), ventral scale number 100–108 (vs. 82–92), subdigital lamellae on toe III 15–16 (vs. 13), enlarged scales above the tympanum present (vs. absent), lateral scales with intermediate enlarged scales (vs. without enlarged scales), breeding-males with bright red colour patch restricted to mid throat-fan (vs. bright red patch extending to vent), single pale stripe running from the snout up to the shoulder (vs. 3–4 bright stripes from snout and behind the eye up to the shoulders); S. ponticeriana: femur shorter FEL 72.2–78.4% of TBL (vs. longer, FEL 80.0–84.8% of TBL), ventral scale number 100–108 (vs. 65–69), abdominal scales pointed (vs. rounded); Sitana sivalensis complex: throat-fan extending up to the chest (vs. not extending to the level of axilla), foot longer with FOL 154.7–180.2 of HL (vs. shorter, FOL 120.0–144.3% of HL).
Description. (Based on holotype, WHT 0111E). An adult male, 45.6 mm SVL; head moderately large (HL 27.9% of SVL), elongate (HW 60.0% of HL), narrow (HW 16.7% of SVL), distinct from neck; snout short (ES 58.9% of HW); snout length somewhat greater than eye diameter (ED 98.0% of ES); interorbital distance broad (IO 11.7% of HL); eye large (ED 34.7% of HL); pupil rounded; ear-opening shallow, its greatest diameter located dorsoventrally, ear-opening with enlarged, unkeeled scales, tympanum smaller than orbit (TYD 60.6% of ED); no spines above the tympanum but an enlarged keeled scale above the tympanum separated from the tympanum by two smaller scale rows; diameter of eyes greater than eye to ear distance (ED 168.7% of TYE); forehead concave; scales on snout keeled, smaller in size than those of the occipital region; scales on interorbital and supercilium area keeled; no nuchal or dorsal crest; rostral scale width greater than height, ventro-posteriorly in contact with the first supralabial, in contact posteriorly with the prenasal and three postrostral scales unequal in size; two supranasals, on each side of the nostrils, three postnasals approximately equal in size and one prenasal; nostril rounded and located in the middle of an undivided nasal plate; three postnasals bordering the nasal, the middle one largest; canthus rostralis and superciliary edges sharp; parietal plate lozenge shaped (anterior sides shorter than posterior sides) including a grey-blue coloured “pineal eye”, parietal plate larger than adjacent plates. Mental pentagonal, width and length of which approximately equal, posteriolaterally in contact with two enlarged postmentals separated by a smaller scale preventing contact between them; each postmental pair bordered posteriorly by three (left side) and four (right side) smooth scales including the medial scale, but exclusive of infralabials. Throat-fan small, posterior scales do not extend to mid venter (DWL 60.3% of SVL, ADW 32.1% of AG), margin of the anterior part of the throat-fan covered with keeled, overlapping, bluntly pointed scales, posterior part (from the middle of the throat to the midventer) with long, elongate lanceolate bluntly pointed scales; throat scales elongate, keeled and overlapping; three scale rows separating orbit from supralabials; supralabials 8 (6th in mid orbit position); infralabials 9, decreasing in size towards gape; scales on the throat-fan and adjacent ventral scales keeled and mucronate, overlapping.
Body slender (AG 50.0% of SVL); mid dorsal scales equal, keeled, not elongate with pointed dorsal scales at midbody, keels straight, forming longitudinal continuous parallel ridges; scales on dorsum at midbody larger in size than those of venter at the same level; lateral body scales unequal, keeled, rounded, smaller than dorsals and with randomly distributed enlarged, rounded, keeled scales; upper dorsolateral scales directed upwards and backwards, dorsoventral ones directed downwards and backwards; 59 scale rows around midbody; pectoral scales enlarged, elongate and keeled; abdominal scales not enlarged, short, mucronate and keeled; ventral keels forming regular and parallel continuous ridges; no preanal or femoral pores. Ventrals 105.
Upper arm somewhat longer than lower arm (UAL 18.9% of SVL; LAL 18.1% of SVL); femur shorter than tibia (FEL 26.5% of SVL; TBL 36.7% of SVL; FEL 72.2% of TBL). Dorsal scales on fore and hind limbs enlarged, elongate, keeled, overlapping, and mucronate; ventral scales on upper and lower arm enlarged, slightly keeled, overlapping, and blunt ended; scales on dorsal and ventral surface of thigh and shank enlarged, keeled, overlapping and blunt ended; keels on dorsal and ventral arm and foot forming a series of continuous parallel ridges. Digits elongate, slender, all bearing slightly recurved claws; claws are sharp and elongate; subdigital lamellae entire and tri-mucronate, 16 subdigital lamellae on toe III and 23 on toe IV; inter-digital webbing absent; relative length of fingers 3> 4> 5> 2> 1, and toes 4> 3> 2> 1.
Tail complete (125.8 mm) and base swollen, ventral scales on tail base rounded and keeled; dorsal scales on tail keeled, elongate, overlapping, directed backwards, keels forming continuous parallel ridges; tail with subcaudals on median row not enlarged, slightly keeled, overlapping.
Colour in preserved specimen. Dorsum light brown, darker brown patch on the neck, five rhomboid markings on the back. Light coloured blotches on lateral sides of the body, white coloured incomplete cross bars on the tail beginning just behind the hind limbs, a persian blue stripe runs from mental and continues up to mid dewlap point along mid ventral line.
Colour in life. Based on the specimen in Fig. 4. Upper head and back dorsally cream to yellowish brown with five black-edged rhomboidal spots, the back is bordered on each side with a dark brownish band, a light vertebral line along the middle of the back separating them. Upper and lower lip a light buff cream with dark markings. A buff light cream streak from the nasal across the tympanum to the forelimb; pupil black. Iris black with a golden outer rim; reddish-brown patch on anterior part of interorbital. Anterior part of the throat-fan is persian blue, black and cream. A bright red coloured patch at the middle of the throat-fan on the cream coloured background during the breeding season. Upper arm, lower arm, thigh and tibia all with three indistinct buff cream bands. Vague, light patches on flank and lateral body. Tail with 20 light cross-bands. Three buff cross-bands on fingers and three or four on toes. Ventral scales buff cream. See the following corresponding figures in Manthey (2010: 154): RA04168-4 (Wiplattu NP).
Variation in male paratypes. Nine supralabials in paratypes WHT 0174A–B and WHT 1424A; respectively 57, 58, and 58 scales around midbody in WHT 1417, WHT 0174B, and WHT 1424A; subdigital lamellae on the toe III, 15 in all other male paratypes, on toe IV, 21 (WHT 1417) and 22 (WHT 0174A and WHT 1424A). Ventrals respectively 100, 101, 102, and 108 (WHT 1424, WHT 0174B, WHT 1417, and WHT 0174A).
Description of female. (Based on paratype WHT 0111C). An adult female, 44.9 mm SVL; head moderately large (HL 28.3% of SVL), elongate (HW 61.9% of HL), narrow (HW 17.5% of SVL), distinct from neck; snout short (ES 59.5% of HW); snout length approximately equal to the eye diameter (ED 99.6% of ES); interorbital distance broad (IO 12.1% of HL); eye large (ED 36.7% of HL); pupil rounded; ear-opening shallow, its greatest diameter being dorsoventral, ear-opening with enlarged keeled scales, tympanum smaller than orbit (TYD 31.2% of ED); no spines above the tympanum but an enlarged keeled scale above the tympanum separated from the tympanum by three smaller scale rows; diameter of eyes greater than eye to ear distance (ED 166.2% of TYE); forehead concave; scales on snout keeled, more or less similar in size than those of the occipital region; scales on interorbital and supercilium area keeled; no nuchal or dorsal crest; rostral scale width greater than height, ventroposteriorly in contact with first supralabial, in contact posteriorly with the prenasal and three postrostral scales unequal in size; two supranasals around nostrils on each side, three postnasals with the middle one larger; nostril rounded located in the middle of an undivided nasal plate; canthus rostralis and superciliary edges sharp; parietal plate lozenge shaped (anterior sides shorter than posterior sides) including a grey-blue coloured “pineal eye”, parietal plate larger than adjacent plates. Mental pentagonal, approximately equal in length and width, posteriolaterally in contact with two enlarged postmentals separated by a smaller scale preventing contact between them. Throat-fan absent; throat scales elongate, keeled and overlapping; three scale rows separate orbit from supralabials; supralabials 8 (6th in mid orbit position); infralabials 10, decreasing in size towards gape; gular scales keeled.
Body slender (AG 45.7% of SVL); mid dorsal scales equal, keeled, not elongate with pointed dorsal scales at midbody, keels straight forming longitudinal, continuous, parallel ridges; lateral body scales unequal, irregular, keeled, mucronate, smaller than dorsals and with randomly distributed enlarged, rounded, keeled scales; upper dorsolateral scales directed upwards and backwards, dorsoventral ones directed downwards and backwards; 57 scales around midbody; pectoral scales not enlarged, keeled, rounded and overlapping; abdominal scales short and rounded; ventral keels forming regular and parallel continuous ridges; no preanal or femoral pores. Ventrals 74.
Upper arm longer than lower arm (UAL 19.5% of SVL; LAL 17.1% of SVL); femur shorter than tibia (FEL 25.9% of SVL; TBL 32.6% of SVL; FEL 79.4% of TBL). Dorsal scales on fore and hind limbs enlarged, elongate, keeled, overlapping, and mucronate; ventral scales on upper and lower arm enlarged, slightly keeled, overlapping, and bluntly ended; scales on dorsal and ventral surface of thigh slightly keeled, overlapping and bluntly ended; keels on dorsal and ventral arm and foot forming a series of continuous parallel ridges. Digits elongate, slender, all bearing slightly recurved claws; claws are sharp and elongate; subdigital lamellae entire and tri-mucronate, 15 subdigital lamellae on the toe III, and 25 on toe IV; inter-digital webbing absent; relative length of fingers 3> 4> 5> 2> 1, and toes 4> 3> 2> 1.
Tail complete and base swollen, ventral scales on tail base rounded and keeled; dorsal scales on tail keeled, elongate, overlapping, directed backwards, keels forming continuous parallel ridges; tail with subcaudals on median row not enlarged, slightly keeled, overlapping.
Etymology. The species epithet is an eponym Latinised in the genitive singular, honouring Prof. Devaka Keerthi Weerakoon, for his remarkable contributions to biodiversity conservation in Sri Lanka. He worked as the Technical Advisor of the 2007 and 2012 Red Lists of Threatened Fauna and Flora in Sri Lanka and was responsible for their publication. As a consultant to the Department of Wildlife Conservation, he has provided technical support for the preparation and implementation of protected areas, produced management plans, managed alien invasive species programs in protected areas, mapped habitats, carried out protected area gap analyses programs and conducted bird surveys. His contributions to the ecology of Asian elephants and reduction of human-elephant conflicts are remarkable. Suggested English name: Devaka’s Fan-throated Lizard; Sinhala (local) name: Devakagë Theli Katussa; French name: Sitane de Devaka.
Distribution. See map Fig. 9. Drier coastal areas in the north and north-western parts of Sri Lanka, sometimes recorded at a distance of ~ 10–60 km from the nearest beach (e.g. Anuradhapura, Vavuniya and Kilinochchi).
Natural history. Most of the occupied habitats have similar environmental conditions to those of S. bahiri sp. nov., comprising the following species of trees: Ziziphus rugosa (Rhamnaceae), Manilkara hexandra (Sapotaceae), and most of shrubs and herbs like Abelmoschus angulosus (Malvaceae), Benkara malabarica (Rubiaceae), Carissa spinarum (Apocynaceae), Hydrophylax maritima (Rubiaceae), Capparis zeylanica (Capparaceae), Spinifex littoreus (Poaceae), Canthium coromandelicum (Rubiaceae), Salvadora persica (Salvadoraceae), Calotropis gigantea (Apocynaceae), Sesuvium portulacastrum (Aizoaceae), Indigofera linnaei (Fabaceae), and Opuntia monacantha (Cactaceae).
Sitana devakai sp. nov. is a diurnal lizard completely suited to harsh terrestrial habitats such as dry sandy coasts (Fig. 10). Copulation is limited to a 5–10 second activity. Egg laying activities were observed from September to November. They lay 3– 6 eggs per clutch with a mean size of 9.2 × 4.7 mm (n =18). The incubation period is between 40–50 days. Hatchlings always live hidden inside shrubs during the first month after hatching. Turdoides affinis (common babbler), Centropus sinensis (greater coucal), Halcyon smyrnensis (white-throated kingfisher), Bubulcus ibis (cattle egret), Herpestes edwardsii (grey mongoose), Viverricula indica (ring-tailed civet), Varanus bengalensis (land monitor) and Dendrelaphis tristis (common bronzeback snake) are their major predators. Territorial behaviours are similar to those of S. bahiri sp. nov. and Otocryptis wiegmanni (see Karunarathna & Amarasinghe, 2008). They also open their mouths to threaten invaders, but the mouth cavity is purple in colour (vs. S. bahiri sp. nov. blue in color). At midday when it is warm, they keep their tails erected while walking, possibly to avoid contact with the hot sandy ground. We observed strategic feeding habits such as following ants to find their nests and using “sit and wait” strategies for predation.
Conservation status. The result of the application of the IUCN Red List (2013) criteria B1-b (i) shows that S. devakai sp. nov. is Vulnerable (VU). It is restricted to an area of occupancy (AOO) <850 km 2 (11 spotting sites) and its extent of occurrence (EOO) <11,500 km 2 in the north and north-west dry zone within different forested areas in Sri Lanka.
description: Published as part of Thasun Amarasinghe, A. A., Ineich, Ivan, Suranjan Karunarathna, D. M. S., Botejue, W. Madhava S. & Campbell, Patrick D., 2015, Two new species of the genus Sitana Cuvier, 1829 (Reptilia: Agamidae) from Sri Lanka, including a taxonomic revision of the Indian Sitana species, pp. 67-98 in Zootaxa 3915 (1) on pages 77-81, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3915.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/287771