Microauris

{{Short description|Genus of lizards}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Speciesbox | status = EN | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name=iucn>{{cite iucn |author=Ganesh, S.R. |year=2021 |title=''Microauris aurantolabium'' |volume=2021 |article-number=e.T172675A158445818 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T172675A158445818.en |language=en |access-date=16 January 2022}}</ref> | genus = Microauris | parent_authority = Pal ''et al'', 2018 | species = aurantolabium | authority = (Krishnan, 2008)<ref name=Krishnan>{{Cite journal | last1 = Krishnan | first1 = S. | year = 2008 | title = New species of ''Calotes'' (Reptilia: Squamata: Agamidae) from the southern Western Ghats, India | journal = Journal of Herpetology | volume = 42 | issue = 3 | pages = 530–535 | doi = 10.1670/06-198.1| s2cid = 86131722 }}</ref> | synonyms = *''Calotes aurantolabium'' <small>Krishnan, 2008</small> }}

'''''Microauris''''' is a monotypic genus of agamid lizard. Its only species is '''''Microauris aurantolabium''''', also known as the '''small-eared dragon''' or '''orange-lipped forest lizard''', found in the forests of the southern Western Ghats and is currently known from the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve.<ref name="RDB">{{NRDB species|genus=Calotes|species=aurantolabium|accessdate=17 January 2015}}</ref> The species was formerly included in ''Pseudocalotes andamanensis'' of the Andaman Islands,<ref>{{cite journal|author=Ishwar, N.M. |author2= Das, I. |year=1998 |title= Rediscovery of ''Calotes andamanensis'' Boulenger 1891, and a reassessment of the type locality|journal= J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. |volume=95|pages= 513–514}}</ref> but recognized as distinct in 2008.<ref name="Krishnan" /> It was also classified under ''Calotes'' until 2018, where it was transferred to its own genus, ''Microauris'', on the basis of its divergence from ''Calotes''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last1=PAL|first1=SAUNAK|last2=VIJAYAKUMAR|first2=S.P.|last3=SHANKER|first3=KARTIK|last4=JAYARAJAN|first4=ADITI|last5=DEEPAK|first5=V.|date=2018-09-19|title=A systematic revision of Calotes Cuvier, 1817 (Squamata: Agamidae) from the Western Ghats adds two genera and reveals two new species|url=https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4482.3.1|journal=Zootaxa|language=en|volume=4482|issue=3|pages=401–450|doi=10.11646/zootaxa.4482.3.1|pmid=30313808|s2cid=52973649 |issn=1175-5334|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

==Description== This species is diagnosed by having orange colored upper lips, green body; acutely keeled scales over body (dorsally and ventrally), head, and throat; postero-ventral orientation of the dorsal scales; antehumeral pit absent; 63 scales around midbody; small tympanum (5.5% HL); toe III and IV subequal. Distinguished from ''Pseudocalotes andamanensis'' in having acutely keeled dorsals, all of which are directed posteroventrally; antehumeral pit absent; acutely keeled ventrals, limb and head scales; smaller occipital, nuchal, temporal regions. Distinguished from all known species of the ''Calotes versicolor'' group in having posteroventral orientation of dorsal scales (posterodorsal in ''C. versicolor'' group). Distinguished from species of the ''Calotes liocephalus'' group in lacking antehumeral pit, and in having a proportionately smaller head, ulnar length proportionately longer, tibial length proportionately shorter. Distinguished from ''Monilesaurus rouxii'' and ''Monilesaurus ellioti'' in lacking an antehumeral fold and spines, toe-IV and III subequal.<ref name=Krishnan/><ref name=RDB/>

The species was eventually moved to its own genus, ''Microauris'', on the basis of its extremely small tympanum, making it different from members of ''Calotes''.<ref name=":0" />

'''Holotype:''' Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) 1436 (Orange-lipped forest lizard) an adult female, collected by N. M. Ishwar at Kakkachi in Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu, India in 1997.<ref name=Krishnan/><ref name=RDB/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== * {{cite journal|author=Boulenger, G.A. |year=1891 |title=On new or little known Indian and Malayan reptiles and batrachians|journal= Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. |volume=6|issue= 8|pages= 288–292}}

Category:Agamidae Category:Monotypic lizard genera Category:Lizards of India Category:Endemic fauna of the Western Ghats Category:Endemic reptiles of India