May 25, 2025
#2901 - Psammophilus dorsalis - Rock Dragon
Pauli also visited Hampi, in Karnataka. Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565, and probably the second-largest city in the world in 1500, but the empire and city were conquered and ruined by a coalition of Muslim sultanates in 1565. It's now a UNESCO World Heritage Site with over 1600 remaining shrines, forts, water reservoirs, and other structures.
An Agamid native to the subcontinent, but more common along the eastern parts of that range.
This one is either a female or a juvenile. Adult males are more dramatic, and do push-up displays on elevated rocks. The granite outcrops surrounding Hampi are ideal.
Photo by Uajith on wiki.
Hampi, Karnataka, India.
