Maned forest lizard (Bronchocela jubata)

Maned forest lizard (Bronchocela jubata) is a species of lizard belonging to the family Agamidae. It reaches a total length of 550 mm and possesses a triangular, tapered head—roughly half as wide as it is long—that appears clearly distinct from the neck. The sides of the head are yellowish-green, the dorsal surface is grayish-green, and the ventral surface is pale green.

The throat features a gular pouch (an expandable fold of skin), with a brighter, vivid green coloration in its center. The snout is elongated and pointed, measuring longer than the diameter of the eye. The interorbital space is broad, the forehead is concave, and the edges of the *canthus rostralis* and the supraciliary ridges appear sharp.





The eyes are large with round pupils. The tympanum is smaller than the orbit (approximately 60% of the orbital diameter) and is surrounded by keeled scales; it is separated from the orbit by six rows of enlarged temporal scales. The area around the eyes, the labial region, and the tympanum are pale green.

The scales on the snout are keeled and larger than the occipital scales, with a complex arrangement of scales surrounding the nostrils. The rostral scale is wider than it is high, and the scales in the interorbital and superciliary regions are keeled.

The body is slender, covered in large, uniform, strongly keeled, and overlapping (imbricate) lateral scales. A well-developed, greenish-yellow nuchal crest is present, which continues along the back as a dorso-nuchal crest. The dorsal crest itself is rudimentary (not fully developed) and is either vivid green or matches the color of the rest of the body.

The dorsal surface ranges from bright green to dark olive-green, while the lateral sides feature several yellow-colored markings. The ventral surface is yellow to white, covering the area beneath the chin, the neck, the abdomen, and the undersides of the limbs. The scales on the chest and abdomen are keeled and pointed, with the keels forming continuous, parallel lines along the underside of the body. The ventral (belly) scales are larger than the pectoral (chest) scales.

The forelimbs are relatively short and lack a shoulder fold (pit); the scales in the shoulder region are smaller and keeled. The hindlimbs are longer than the forelimbs, with the tibia (shin bone) being longer than the femur (thigh bone). The digits are elongated and slender, with a length order of 4-3-2-5-1 for the fingers and 4-3-5-2-1 for the toes. All digits possess sharp, long, and slightly curved claws. The limbs and joints are dark green; the dorsal surface of the toes is greenish-brown, while the ventral side is light brown.

The tail is very long and intact, lacking a crest. The base of the tail is bright green, while the posterior two-thirds are greenish-brown with whitish spots. The ventral scales at the base of the tail are keeled and imbricate (overlapping), and are smaller than those on the dorsal side. The scales along the tail are enlarged and keeled, forming continuous parallel rows that extend to the tip of the tail.

B. jubata inhabits shrubs, bushes, and trees in primary and secondary forests, as well as plantations near human settlements. These lizards prey on butterflies, moths, dragonflies, mosquitoes, flies, and winged termites. They hunt by remaining motionless among the foliage and branches. They occasionally fall from trees while pursuing prey, after which they quickly scramble toward the nearest tree.

They lay their eggs in fertile soil, sandy ground, or leaf litter. The female uses her snout to dig into the substrate to create a nest. She deposits two eggs in sandy soil beneath a layer of leaf litter, typically under shrubs in relatively open areas of the forest.

These reptiles serve as prey for snakes, monitor lizards, mammals, and large birds. When threatened, they change their skin color to match their surroundings, effectively camouflaging themselves. This type of camouflage is distinct from "mimicry"—a phenomenon where an animal’s shape, coloration, or behavior imitates or resembles another species to deceive potential predators.

According to recent research, chameleons are able to change color because they possess a layer of nanocrystals beneath their outer skin. These crystals reflect light, and the color of the reflected light is determined by the spacing between these nanocrystals.

TAXON

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Sauria
Family: Agamidae
Subfamily: Draconinae
Genus: Bronchocela Kaup (1827)
Species: Bronchocela jubata A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron (1837)

SYNONYMS

Bronchocela jubata Moody (1980)
Calotes jubatus Boulenger (1885)

VERNACULAR NAME

Danish: Manke-langhaleagam
English: Maned forest lizard, Great crested canopy lizard
German: Java-Schönechse, Java-Langschwanzagame
Indonesia: Bunglon Surai, Kadal pohon surai
Italian: Calote di foresta dalla criniera
Java: Bunglon
Melayu: Bengkarung surai
Russian: Гривистый калот
Sunda: Londok, Lunduk

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