Sitana visiri, the palm leaf fan-throated lizard, is a species of agamid lizard. It is endemic to the Tamil Nadu region of India.[1][2]
The Sitana visiri species epithet is derived from the regional Tamil language word for a hand-crafted fan made from palm leaf (also the source of the common name), because the dewlap of S. visiri resembles a local palm-leaf fan.[1]
Sitana visiri can be distinguished from other members of Sitana genus in the spinaecephalus clade by a strongly serrated dewlap with a large orange spot surrounded by extensive blue color.[3] The dewlap of S. visiri extends up to 56% of its trunk, which is proportionally larger than that of Sitana ponticeriana, S. bahiri, and S. devakai.[3] S. visiri is differentiated from the species in the ponticeriana clade in having a larger snout-vent length.[3]
Sitana visiri is endemic to the Tamil Nadu region of India where it lives in coastal sand dunes, grasslands, plains, and areas dominated by Prosopis juliflora.[1] S. visiri occurs in similar regions alongside Eutropis carinata, Eutropis bibronii, and Calotes versicolor.[1] S. virisi is a oviparous or egg laying species, with breeding males been observed in fall (September and October) and hatchlings observed in January.[1]
Sitana visiri, the palm leaf fan-throated lizard, is a species of agamid lizard. It is endemic to the Tamil Nadu region of India.
