Wang's garden lizard, or Calotes wangi, was identified when researchers realized specimens collected during 2009-2022 field studies were this new species.
"From 2009 to 2022, we conducted a series of field surveys in South China and collected a number of specimens of the Calotes versicolor species complex, and found that the population of what we thought was Calotes versicolor in South China and Northern Vietnam was a new undescribed species and two subspecies," said researcher Yong Huang, a member of the team that described it.
It's about 3 inches long and found in subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests, as well as tropical forests, in southern China and northern Vietnam.
"It is active at the edge of the forest, and when it is in danger, it rushes into bushes or climbs tree trunks to hide. Investigations found that the lizards lie on sloping shrub branches at night, sleeping close to the branches," Huang added.
According ot the researchers this new reptile species isn't threatened. Their bodies are used medicinally and they are also eaten.
Calotes wangi is active from April to October. In the tropics, they are active March to September.
The species is active at the edge of forests, rushing into bushes of climbing tree trunks when endangered. According to Huang, they sleep close to branches on sloping shrubs at night.
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