It is one of seven Calotes species endemic to Sri Lanka.

Widely distributed, but apparently patchily distributed, in the central hills of Sri Lanka, including Knuckles, Kotmale, Sinharaja, Talawakele, Hanguranketha, Kanneliya, Galle, Kandy, Dambulla, Peradeniya, Namunukula, and Gampola.

A series of spines on nape make up the dorso-nuchal crest in males.

Unusual among agamid lizards is its habit of uttering a high-pitched whistle when alarmed.

This lizard from family Agamidae article is a stub.