n the field, the Crowned Pricklenape is most likely to be confused with its close relatives, particularly the Indochinese Forest Lizard (Acanthosaura lepidogaster), a species it was once considered synonymous with . Telling them apart requires a keen eye for some very specific details.
Here is the key: look at the scute on the tip of the snout. In Acanthosaura coronata, this rostral scute is divided into two or three small scales . In A. lepidogaster, it is undivided . This is the most reliable diagnostic feature.
Next, look at the gap between the crests. The diastema between the dorsal and caudal crests is almost absent in A. coronata, while it is more pronounced in A. lepidogaster .
If you are close enough to see the eye, check the supraciliary edge. A. coronata has a prominently projecting, serrated supraciliary edge that obscures the eyelid and orbit in dorsal view . It also typically has a single short spine posterior to this edge, separated by a notch
The most striking feature, the one that gives the lizard its name, is its "crowned" head. Enlarged, spiny scales form a distinctive crest that runs from the back of the head down the nape and along the spine. The supraciliary edge (the ridge above the eye) is prominently projecting and serrated, almost obscuring the eye when viewed from above . This gives the lizard a permanently fierce, almost mythical expression.
The color palette of this species is a study in contrasts, and it differs dramatically between the sexes. Males are the show-offs. They display light green to yellow-green dorsal coloration, and their tail can be a vibrant orange-red, likely used for sexual signaling . Females, by contrast, are the masters of camouflage. They are dressed in dull brown-gray, a perfect match for the bark and leaf litter of their forest home .
A light-colored band, edged with black, runs across the crown and from the eye to the upper lip, breaking up the lizard's outline and adding to its cryptic appearance . The tail is long and prehensile, an essential tool for its arboreal lifestyle
Elevation: Recorded from lowland forests, with a specific record at 500 m elevation in hilly evergreen forest
Recorded in Lam Dong and Dong Nai provinces, with specific records from Cat Tien National Park and Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province. The species is also found in eastern Cambodia (type locality) and southern Laos.
Primarily arboreal, but often found near the ground on low vegetation, tree trunks, and rocks.
It is a forest-dwelling lizard that uses its cryptic coloration to blend into the understory and mid-story.
Diurnal, though some sources describe it as having crepuscular tendencies, being still during the day and becoming active at twilight to forage. Activity is likely concentrated in the early morning and late afternoon.
It is insectivorous, feeding on ants, beetles, grasshoppers, and small spiders. Look for it actively foraging in low vegetation.
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