Australian water dragon
| Australian water dragon | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australian water dragon ( Intellagama lesueurii howittii ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Intellagama | ||||||||||||
| Wells & Wellington , 1985 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
| Intellagama lesueurii | ||||||||||||
| ( Gray , 1831) |
The Australian water dragon ( Intellagama lesueurii , Syn .: Physignathus lesueurii ) is a species of lizard native to Australia from the agamen family (Agamidae). It is the only species in the monotypical genus Intellagama .
features
The Australian water dragon reaches a head-torso length of up to 24.5 cm. The hind legs reach 95%, the tail 2.5 times the length of the head and trunk. The scales are mostly quite small and monotonous, but are occasionally interrupted by rows of larger scales. The neck and back have conspicuous crests with spiky scales, the tail has a scaly keel on top. The body and tail are pressed together laterally for better propulsion during the winding swimming movements.
Subspecies
On the basis of the coloration, 2 subspecies are distinguished:
- Intellagama lesueurii howittii ( McCoy , 1884) ( Gippsland Water Dragon ) differs from Intellagama lesueurii lesueurii in particular in the absence of the dark stripe between the eye and the neck and the less pronounced dark markings on the upper side. In addition, the underside of the body is colored olive. Adult males of this subspecies have dark throats with red, orange and sometimes blue spots.
- Intellagama lesueurii lesueurii ( Gray , 1831) ( Eastern Water Dragon ) is olive-colored to brown, with a dark stripe from the eye to the neck, dark transverse bands on the back and a reddish color on the chest.
distribution and habitat
The species lives in eastern Australia and can always be found in the vicinity of rivers. The spread of Intellagama lesueurii howittii begins in Gippsland in Victoria and extends north to the Kangaroo Valley in New South Wales . After that the spread of I. l. lesueurii , which extends north to Cooktown in Queensland . Australian water dragons often invade urban areas such as Canberra , Sydney and Brisbane .
Way of life
It is a diurnal, partly aquatic and otherwise tree-dwelling lizard. You can often see them resting on branches that overhang the water. In the event of a fault, they can also be dropped into the water from great heights. Water dragons feed on insects, various aquatic animals such as frogs, and, less commonly, small land-dwelling vertebrates. Fruits and berries are consumed to a small extent. In some regions close to the coast they penetrate into the littoral in search of food .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e Steve Wilson, Gerry Swan: A complete guide to reptiles of Australia. 3rd edition. New Holland Publishers, Sydney et al. 2010, ISBN 978-1-877069-76-5 .
- ^ A b c Harold G. Cogger: Reptiles & Amphibians of Australia. 6th edition. Ralph Curtis Books, Sanibel, Florida 2000, ISBN 0-88359-048-4 .
