Added 16 April 2014. Last updated 15 July 2022: added A. burnsi and A. centralis and updated Introduction and Bibliography
The genus Amphibolurus has steadily shrunk in size over the past few decades. Even as late as the 1990s Manthey and Schuster considered it to hold 8 species: now it holds just the four. Species formerly considered members of the genus have been successively reattributed to Cryptagama, Ctenophorus, Diporiphora, Intellagama (better known to most people in the early 21st century as Physignathus), Lophognathus, Rankinia, Tympanocryptis and most famously Pogona (the Bearded Dragons).
The list below follows the Reptile Database (2022). Cogger included A. nobbi, which the Reptile Database assigns to Diporiphora, and Wilson & Swann included A. burnsi, A. gilberti, A. longirostris and A. temporalis, all of which were assigned by the Reptile Database and Cogger to Lophognathus with the exception of A. burnsi which was omitted by Cogger. The paper by Melville et al (2018) clarified some of these relationships, resulting in the genus of four species shown below.
Cogger characterised the genus as follows: heterogeneous dorsal scalation, usually with vertebral and paravertebral rows of enlarged mucronate tubercles and spines; exposed tympanum; nuchal crest and/or dorsal keel usually present; no enlarged spinose scales along each side of the tail base; semi-arboreal, foraging on the ground but otherwise found in shrubs or on tree-trunks and low branches. Clutches of 6-10 eggs are laid.
In 2018 Melville et al characterised the genus as follows: a genus consisting of large agamid lizards in the subfamily Amphibolurinae with exposed tympanum, long robust limbs and a long tail. Gular scales smooth to weakly keeled, ventral scales smooth to strongly keeled. Head wide and deep in comparison with length. Heterogenous body scales, dorsal surface scattered with many spinose scales. Well-developed spinose nuchal and vertebral crest. Two broad pale dorsolateral stripes running from ear or neck to the hip, discontinuous with pale lip scales. Dorsolateral stripes intersected by multiple wedges of brown or grey along their length.
In terms of their natural history, Swan and Wilson note that the genus is largely associated with woodlands in temperate to semi-arid southern areas and riverine vegetation in the interior and tropical north. They are swift and alert and can run bipedally when alarmed.
As with all species occurring exclusively within Australian jurisdiction, these lizards are probably rarely if ever seen outside the country, and I am unaware of any care details in print on them (the species in Manthey & Schuster, A. longirostris, has since been reassigned to Gowidon).
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QUICK INDEX |
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A. burnsi, Burns' Dragon |
A. centralis, Centralian Lashtail |
A. muricatus, Jacky Lashtail, Jacky Lizard, Jacky Dragon |
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A. norrisi, Mallee Heath Lashtail |
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Species Name |
Common Name |
Distribution |
Size |
Notes |
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Amphibolurus |
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Burns' Dragon |
Australia (New South Wales, S Queensland) |
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Large robust member of the Amphibolurus genus. Scalation details: head with extensive covering of spinose scales. Posterior ventral portion of head heavily covered with spinose scales. Well-developed spinose nuchal and vertebral crest, which continues down back to hips. At least two more spinose dorsal crests on each side of vertebral crest. Scalation on back strongly heterogeneous, with two dorsolateral rows of spinose scales running from shoulders to hips. Scales on thighs strongly heterogeneous with scattered spinose scales. Prominent row of spinose scales running along the posterior edge of thighs. Femoral pores 3–5; preanal pores 4–6. Other: large wide head. Coloration: shades of brown, grey to almost black. Two broad pale dorsolateral stripes running from ear or neck to the hip, discontinuous with lip scales. Dorsolateral stripes intersected by multiple wedges of brown or grey along their length. [SOURCE: Melville et al] |
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Centralian Lashtail |
Australia (Central Australia, Northern Territory) |
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Large robust member of the Amphibolurus genus. Scalation details: well-developed spinose nuchal and vertebral crest. Scalation on back heterogeneous. Scales on thighs relatively homogeneous, lacking row of large spinose scales. Femoral pores 2–6; preanal pores 3–6. Other: large wide head in proportion to body size. Coloration: shades of light to dark brown and grey. Two broad pale dorsolateral stripes running from ear or neck to hip, discontinuous with pale lip scales. Dorsolateral stripes intersected by multiple wedges of brown or grey along their length. Most individuals have a broad pale or white stripe running along extent of the lower lip. [SOURCE: Melville et al] |
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Jacky Lashtail, Jacky Lizard, Jacky Dragon |
Australia (Tasmania, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland) |
TL 14½ cm, SVL 10 cm |
Found in dry sclerophyll forests, rocky ridges and coastal heathlands. Scalation details: canthus rostralis angular; nostril equidistant from eye and end of snout, subcircular and facing outwards in enlarged nasal scale; gulars slightly smaller than ventrals, feebly keeled. Dorsal scalation: nuchal crest of 4-5 spines, separated from dorsal crest: dorsal crest consists of about 15 soft spiny scales, separated by short intervals. Ventral scalation: ventrolateral and ventral scales strongly mucronate, smaller and keeled in about 16 rows. Tail: compressed and prehensile. Other: body moderately depressed; head rather elongate; snout longer than diameter of orbit; diameter of tympanum nearly half that of orbit; 10-20 preanal and femoral pores; Boulenger mentions a more or less distinct dorsolateral fold that frequently disappears in the adult. Coloration: dorsally pale grey to dark brown; flanks usually mottled darker brown; sometimes narrow, pale dark-edged lateral stripe from arm to groin; series of large angular blackish patches on dorsum, often divided or displaced along vertebral line; pale dorsolateral stripe from nape to base of tail, may be broken up by dark dorsal blotches extending downwards; dorsal blotches usually continue on to tail as bands; narrow transverse bars often present on top of head; lips and lower jaws often paler than rest of head; ventrally whitish to pale yellow-brown, with or without darker flecks. Reproduction: see introductory text; no further details available. [SOURCE: Boulenger, Cogger] |
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Mallee Heath Lashtail |
Australia (West Australia, South Australia, W Victoria) |
SVL 11cm; TL approx 33 cm |
Range includes coastal areas of Australian Bight. Scalation details: canthus angular; nostril subcircular, facing outwards in enlarged nasal lying below canthal ridge; marginal scales of lower eyelid do not form a fringe; gular scales smooth or feebly keeled. Dorsal scalation: strongly heterogenous; strongly keeled, keels running roughly parallel with vertebral line; distinct nuchal crest continuous with vertebral row of enlarged scales; paravertebral series of enlarged scales on either side of vertebral line; further continuous dorsolateral row of enlarged scales on either side of body; numouerus scattered and enlarged scales on back. Other: tympanum moderatue and conspicuous; 8-20 preanal and femoral pores. Coloration: dorsally grey/grey-brown, laterally darker; dark vertebral stripe whose lateral extensions may reach darker flanks and enclose a series of paler dorsolateral blotches; dark canthal stripe from snout to eye, more intensely dark stripe from eye to tympanum, bordered above by narrow pale stripe; sublabials pale grey or white; tail has series of darker blotches on tail base which become crossbands further along tail; ventrally whitish to pale brown; lining of mouth pale yellow. Reproduction: see introductory text; no further details available. [SOURCE: Cogger] |
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