A newly discovered iguana
Seasonal Activity and Diet
It is active from April to October every year, while in the tropics it is active from March to November or even longer, and eats a variety of insects, spiders, and other arthropods.
For now, the researchers estimate that the new species is not threatened, but they do note that in some areas its habitat is fragmented.
“In addition, their bodies are used medicinally and the lizards are also eaten,” they write in their research paper.
This is why they suggest that the local government strengthen the protection of their ecological environment and pay close attention to the population dynamics.
Reference: “Taxonomic review of the Calotes versicolor complex (Agamidae, Sauria, Squamata) in China, with description of a new species and subspecies” by Yong Huang, Hongyu Li, Yilin Wang, Maojin Li, Mian Hou and Bo Cai, 20 December 2023, ZooKeys.
DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1187.110704