Systematics of the Garden Lizards, Calotes versicolor Group (Reptilia, Squamata, Agamidae), in Myanmar: Central Dry Zone Populations George R. Zug 1,4 , Herrick H.K. Brown 1 , James A. Schulte II 1,3 , and Jens V. Vindum 2 1 Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 20560; 2 Department of Herpetology, California Academy of Sciences, 875 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA, 94103 USA; 3 Current address: 177 Clarkson Science Center, Department of Biology, MRC 5805, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699-5805. The Burmese garden lizards represent a complex of several species. DNA sequence and morphological analyses reveal that two species occur sympatrically in the Central Dry Zone of Myanmar. These two new species are described herein. Additionally, the molecular data demonstrate that Calotes versicolor represents mul- tiple species and at least two clades: one from India-Myanmar and another from Myanmar-Southeast Asia. The morphological investigation does not currently recog- nize unique trait(s) for each clade, but it does establish a set of morphometric, scala- tion, and quantitative coloration traits that permit statistical comparison of intra- and interpopulational variation in the versicolor species group. Calotes versicolor and Calotes mystaceus are the most commonly seen diurnal lizards in Myanmar. Both appear to be forest-edge species, hence readily adapted to the fence-row, roadside and garden habitats created by humans. Our collaborative (CAS-NWCD-SI 5 ) survey and inventory of the Burmese herpetofauna have enabled us to document the distribution of these lizards and many other amphibians and reptiles, and critically, to obtain tissue samples and adequate voucher series to initiate studies of regional differentiation at both the morphological and molecular levels in a variety of common Burmese frogs and lizards. Our attention has become increasingly focused on the “common” species. We have discovered from our earliest site-specific surveys that a common species often consisted of two species, often within the same paddy or forest fragment. We further noted that individuals of the same species from distant localities regularly appear subtly different. These differences are sufficiently muted that they can be easily overlooked, and in hurried inventories of sites, it is easier and more expedi- ent to label a specimen with a readily available name. The unfortunate consequence of this practice is an underestimate of a site’s true biodiversity and more broadly the biodiversity of the region or country being surveyed and inventoried. The Chatthin Wildlife Sanctuary (23°35′N, 95°44′E) was the first site surveyed (Zug et al. 1998) in our country-wide inventory of the Myanmar herpetofauna. It lies at the northern end of the Central Dry Zone and is largely a secondary or recovering indaing forest surrounded by paddies. 4 Address correspondence to: George Zug, Division Amphibians & Reptiles/mrc162, Smithsonian Institution/NMNH, PO Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013-7012; Phone: 202.633.0738; FAX 202.357.3043; Email: zugg@si.edu. 5 CAS=California Academy of Sciences; NWCD=Nature and Wildlife Conservation Division, Forest Department, Myanmar; SI=Smithsonian Institution. PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES Fourth Series Volume 57, No. 2, pp. 35–68, 10 figs., 5 tables, Appendix. April 18, 2006 35 Reprinted from PCAS, ser. 4, vol. 57 (April 2006)