Sexual Size and Shape Dimorphism in an Agamid Lizard Sitana Ponticeriana (Sauria: Agamidae)

The fan-throated lizard, Sitana ponticeriana, is a medium-sized ground living agamid distributed throughout India, preferably in dry and more or less open country habitats. A total of each of 80 males and females were collected from Konark-Balukhand Wildlife Sanctuary area and subjected to various morphometric measurements to investigate the sexual size and shape dimorphism of the species. Sexually immature individuals were much less dimorphic than the adults. All body parts of males were larger than those of females. Both the sexes also differ in allometry of all head characters with body size, with males showing a disproportionate increase of head size and dimensions and head shape changed with increasing head size. Similarly, the foot (front and hind) of both sexes differs in length. The hind foot was double in length than that of the front. Males had larger hind foot (1.68cm) than females (1.56cm). A strong positive relatioship (r =0.8) was observed between SVL and HFL in females. Analysis of variance at p<0.05 level of significance was done foe several variables. The head was twice longer than width. The HL and HW showed positive allometry in males and females.