Lophosaurus spinipes

Southern angle-headed dragon
Southern angle-headed dragon - Boorganna Nature Reserve, near Taree, New South Wales, Australia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Agamidae
Subfamily: Amphibolurinae
Genus: Lophosaurus
Species: L. spinipes
Binomial name
Lophosaurus spinipes
(A.M.C. Duméril & A.H.A. Duméril, 1851)

The southern angle-headed dragon or southern forest dragon (Lophosaurus spinipes, formerly Hypsiluris spinipes) is a species of agamid lizard endemic to Australia.[1]

Geographic range

L. spinipes is native to eastern Australian rainforests and rainforest margins from around Gosford in New South Wales to near Gympie in Queensland. It is also present in Barrington Tops National Park, New South Wales.

Description

The southern angle-headed dragon has a large and continuous nuchal crest with a moderately large vertebral crest. The angular brow is pronounced on both adults and juveniles. The snout to vent length is around 110 to 150 mm (4.3 to 5.9 in), additionally there is a long tail which takes the total length to 350 mm (14 in).

The colour varies from shades of brown, grey and green. Patterns where present consist of various irregular mottling, blotches and variegations.

Behaviour

The southern angle-headed dragon is cryptic, slow moving and well camouflaged. Sometimes encountered basking in sunlight after rain. Often perching on buttresses, sapling stems or old stumps. They tend not to dash for cover, but slide discreetly out of view.

Diet

The diet includes insects and other arthropods such as spiders and centipedes.

Reproduction

Eggs are laid in shallow nests in rainforest clearings, including road edges and walking tracks. There is some evidence that they will occasionally lay communal nests. The eggs are vulnerable to predation, particularly by goannas.

References

  1. ↑ Denzer, Wolfgang; Manthey, Ulrich. "Remarks on the taxonomy and nomenclature of the genus Hypsilurus Peters, 1867 (Reptilia, Agamidae, Amphibolurinae)". Zoosystematics and Evolution. 92 (1): 103–110. doi:10.3897/zse.92.7469. ISSN 1860-0743.


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