Reptiles · Squamata · Agamidae

Frilled Lizard

Chlamydosaurus kingii

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The frilled lizard, also commonly known as the frilled agama, frilled dragon or frill-necked lizard, is a lizard of the family Agamidae. The species is endemic to northern Australia and southern New Guinea. It is the only member of the genus Chlamydosaurus, from the Classical Greek χλαμύς (khlamús), "frill", and σαῦρος (saûros), "lizard".

Weight

400 g – 900 g

Size

45 cm – 90 cm

Lifespan

20 years

Diet

Insectivore

Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

SavannaRainforestTemperate forestInsectivore Diurnal Solitary Reptile Savanna Rainforest Temperate forest

3countries 11parks7same family

Fun facts

locomociónAt speed it runs upright on its two hind legs to escape predators.
Its frill opens mechanically when it opens its mouth: rods of cartilage connected to the hyoid bone stretch the skin of the neck, so the animal cannot raise the frill without gaping at the same time.
It runs on its two hind legs with the body upright and the tail as a counterweight, a bipedal dash it can keep up for tens of metres until it reaches a tree trunk.
It appears on the Australian two-cent coin, withdrawn from circulation in 1992, and its display inspired the design of the Dilophosaurus in Jurassic Park, which in reality had nothing of the sort.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (reptile)
Habitat & environment: Savanna woodland, dry eucalypt forest and scrub of northern Australia and New Guinea
Sexual maturity: 18 months
Gestation / incubation: 70 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 12 eggs

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlamydosaurus_kingii