The male Fan throated lizard (Sitana ponticeriana) (13 pics)

Fan-throated lizards are small to medium sized lizards that are ground dwelling and are usually found in dry scrubby, open habitats. The males possess a fan-like extension that they protrude during breeding season as a part of courtship and territorial display. The genus was merely known by a few species until recently and work conducted by recent researchers hint on unprecedented diversity within the genus. The Pondichéry fan-throated lizard (Sitana ponticeriana) is a species of agamid lizard found in eastern peninsular India. It was earlier thought to be widespread but studies in 2016 resulted in the splitting of the group into several species placed in two genera.