Aphaniotis fusca (Peters, 1864)

Aphaniotis fusca View in CoL .

– This species is an arboreal, diurnal lizard commonly found in undisturbed closed canopy forests where it perches on the sides of trees and vines. Its inability to glide notwithstanding, it occupies microhabitats very similar to those of the smaller species of Draco such as D. melanopogon . On the islands of Babi Besar, Babi Tengah, Babi Hujong, and Aceh, A. fusca occurs in unusually high densities. Although the forest is dense and closed canopy, D. melanopogan is absent from the interiors of these islands ( D. sumatranus occurs in the coastal, coconut groves on P. Babi Besar). On islands where Draco and Aphaniotis both exist (i.e. Tioman, Tinggi, Sibu), A. fusca occurs in much lower densities. Given the similar ecologies of A. fusca with some of the smaller species of Draco , it is likely that A. fusca competitively excludes Draco from the Besar group and P. Aceh .