REPTILE RAP #12, May 2011 India, by one of the authors. The pair was strictly observed in a room of the observer’s residence for three days prior to mating, as they started showing prominent breeding behaviour like running after each other and vocal signals were also heard. No third lizard was allowed to enter the room during the study period. The mating was seen at 1550hr on 20 April 2008. The ambient temperature of the mating site was 32 ± 1°C, with 62 ± 2% humidity. The photographs were captured by using a Canon Power shot A-410 digital camera. Observation and Result During the present observation, the male was found to chase the female for 2-3 hours prior to mating, as a part of the courtship (it was recognized as a male later, after the pictures were analyzed). In response, the female showed aggressive behaviour and tried to drive away the male. Ultimately, the female became receptive and stopped fleeing and became motionless. The male was identified by the distinct colour patch developed dorsally. The mating could be divided into three phases; pre-coital phase, coital phase and post-coital phase. The precoital phase lasted for 15-20 minutes. During this phase, the male started shaking its body and the female stopped moving. After 5min, the male started moving gradually towards the female. In response, the female also
Image 1. Twisted posture of the mating pair
started shaking its tail first, and then the anterior half of body, i.e., the head, neck and anterior abdominal region. The male, on reaching the female, started biting the left side of the tail base and gradually moved towards the anterior end. When it reached the side of the head, it started biting the mandible of the female and repeatedly raised its right hind limb to get a hold of the female, near the tail base. Then suddenly it jumped from the left to the right side of the female and took a position in a twisted manner (Image 1). The coital phase started with insertion of hemipenis into the cloaca of the female. This phase lasted for 10-12 minutes. Both the lizards were found to be motionless during this phase. As the coital phase got over, suddenly, they untwisted with a noticeable jerk. At the post coital phase, the lizards became untwisted, but were still in close contact with the inserted hemipenis clearly 7
Image 2. The male and female lizards at post-coital phase, before complete separation, posture resembling shape of ‘Y’
visible to the spectator. At this stage they appeared in the shape of a “Y” and remained in this posture for 10-15 seconds (Image 2). After that, they separated completely and the male suddenly got aggravated and drove away the female. Major findings of the present observation are: - The most striking feature which has not yet been reported in the case of the Indian wall lizard is the chromogenicity or development of a colour patch which was seen during the present observation. This colour patch developed at the pre-coital phase in the male lizard, and was very distinct during the coital as well as the post-coital phases (Image 3). The patch gradually disappeared after 2-3 hours of mating. The faded patch was observed even 2 hours after mating (Image 4). - The patch was purplish brown in colour and developed on the dorsal side of the trunk region extending from the