Ophisops beddomei

Definition
Ophisops beddomei is a species of diurnal, ground‑dwelling lizard belonging to the family Lacertidae. It is endemic to the Western Ghats mountain range of southwestern India.

Overview

• Taxonomy:

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Chordata
  • Class: Reptilia
  • Order: Squamata
  • Family: Lacertidae (commonly referred to as “true lizards”)
  • Genus: Ophisops
  • Species: O. beddomei

• Common name: Beddome’s snake‑eyed lizard.

• Distribution: Recorded from the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, primarily within the Western Ghats at elevations ranging from sea level to about 1,500 m.

• Habitat: Inhabits open forest floors, grasslands, scrub, and rocky outcrops. It is often found under leaf litter, in crevices, and among low vegetation.

• Conservation status: Listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (as of the most recent assessment). The species is considered relatively common within suitable habitats, although habitat loss due to deforestation and agricultural expansion remains a localized threat.

Etymology / Origin
The specific epithet beddomei honors Colonel Richard Henry Beddome (1830–1911), a British army officer and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of Indian reptiles and amphibians. The species was originally described in the late 19th century (Jerdon, 1870) under the name Agama beddomei and later transferred to the genus Ophisops.

Characteristics

• Size: Adults attain a snout‑vent length (SVL) of roughly 45–55 mm; total length, including the tail, can exceed 120 mm.
• Morphology:
  • The head is elongated with a slightly pointed snout.
  • Like other members of Ophisops, the species lacks movable eyelids; the eyes are protected by a transparent, immobile scale (hence “snake‑eyed”).
  • Dorsal scales are smooth and overlapping, arranged in 30–34 rows at mid‑body.
  • The ventral surface is covered by larger, slightly keeled scales.
• Coloration: Dorsally, the lizard displays a brown to olive‑green background with a pattern of darker spots or transverse bars. The flanks often have a lighter, sometimes yellowish, lateral stripe. The ventral side is pale, ranging from whitish to light yellow.
• Diet: Primarily insectivorous, feeding on ants, beetles, flies, and other small arthropods.
• Behavior: Diurnal and highly active; it basks in sunlight and retreats quickly into cover when disturbed.
• Reproduction: Oviparous; females lay a clutch of 2–4 eggs in concealed sites such as under leaf litter or within crevices. Incubation periods and hatchling size have not been extensively documented.

Related Topics

• Genus Ophisops – a group of “snake‑eyed” lacertid lizards distributed across South Asia and parts of the Middle East.
• Other Western Ghats reptiles – e.g., Ophisops leschenaultii (Leschenault’s snake‑eyed lizard), Rhinophis spp. (earth snakes), and various endemic geckos and skinks.
• Biodiversity of the Western Ghats – a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its high level of endemism across flora and fauna.
• Lacertidae family – a diverse family of lizards commonly referred to as true or wall lizards, with members found throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia.

All information presented is derived from peer‑reviewed herpetological literature and reputable databases such as the IUCN Red List and The Reptile Database.