Added 11 July 2022.
This genus was created following investigations into Sitana ponticeriana, the investigations also resulting in three new Sitana species.
Sarada differs from Sitana in lacking enlarged scales on the thigh and lateral body, and in body ratios and dewlap colour pattern, and a very large dewlap with enlarged overlapping scales extending all the way to middle of the abdomen. In addition the skeletal structure of Sarada has an additional phalange on the fourth toe of manus and one reduced trunk vertebra.
The fact that these lizards have only recently been discovered within Sitana suggests that they should be kept under very similar conditions. However, neither Sitana nor Sarada seem to be commonly available in the UK or North America at least, and the fact that so little experience seems accessible in print, even on Sitana, suggests that these are lizards to be kept by more experienced keepers.
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S. darwinensis, Darwin's Large Fan-Throated Lizard |
S. deccanensis, Deccan Large Fan-Throated Lizard |
S. superba, Superb Large Fan-Throated Lizard |
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Scientific Name |
Common Name |
Distribution |
Size |
Notes |
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Sarada |
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Darwin's Large Fan-Throated Lizard |
India |
SVL 6-6.5 cm (m), 4.8-5.6 cm (f) |
Found on plains and hills lower than 700 m elevation. Distinguished by having proportionately longer feet than S. superba, and from S. deccanensis by proportionately shorter hind limbs not exceeding the SVL. |
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Deccan Large Fan-Throated Lizard |
SW India |
SVL 6-6.5 cm (m), 4.8-5.6 cm (f) |
Very similar to S. deccanensis and S. superba, but distinguished by having proportionately longer hind limbs exceeding the SVL.. |
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Superb Large Fan-Throated Lizard |
India |
SVL approx 7 cm (m), 6 cm (f) |
Found on plateaus above 1,000 m Distinguished by relatively short feet. |
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“Systematics and phylogeny of Sitana (Reptilia: Agamidae) of Peninsular India, with the description of one new genus and five new species”, V. Deepak, Varad B. Giri, Mohammad Asif, Sushil Kumar Dutta, Raju Vyas, Amod M. Zambre Harshal Bhosale, K. Praveen Karanth, Contributions to Zoology 85(1), 2016. Gives details of Sarada and also of three new Sitana species.