Dragons


There are 11 genera and about 70 species of dragons (Agamidae) in Australia. 

The adult Bearded and Water Dragon are easily identified. Jacky, Nobby and Mountain Dragons are harder to distinguish from one another. 

One way that helps in distinguishing between local dragons is to know the relative sizes of local species. A standard measurement in the description of reptiles is the snout-vent length (SVL) which is measured from the tip of the nose (snout) to the anus (vent), and excludes the tail. For example the SVL of the Grassland Earless Dragon is 55mm, the Mountain Dragon 82mm, Nobbi 84mm, Jacky 120mm, Beardy 245mm, and Water Dragon 250mm.

Knowing the habitat and distribution may also be helpful in the field. Bearded Dragons are widespread in lower lying country. Water Dragons are never far from a rocky-watery habitat, as their name suggests. Likewise, Grassland Earless Dragons are confined in native grasslands. Jacky Dragons are widespread. Mountain and Nobbi Dragons are habitat specialists. The former is found in very high altitudes and the later seems to prefer rocky escarpment areas along major rivers.

Subtle differences in back markings, colour, size, spines along tail, mouth colour, habitat and behaviour help to distinguish Jacky, Nobbi and Mountain Dragons from each other. Different authors point to subtle differences in back markings to distinguish species, but this is difficult diagnostic characteristic. Each species is grey in colour but the Mountain Dragon is a little more brownish. In the breeding season the male Mountain Dragon develops a distinctive reddish hue. The Mountain Dragon has distinctive spikes (spinose scales) along the sides of the base of its tail; the Jacky and Nobbi do not. Mountain Dragons burrow and partially bury themselves, possibly to regulate temperature; the Nobbi and Jacky do not. The Mountain Dragon is less likely to climb onto rocks in open areas, it tends to remain in leaf litter and rarely breaks from cover. The Jacky is known to climb shrubs and trees. The Jacky has a bright yellow tongue and mouth which it appears to use to frighten off predators and to assert dominance; the Mountain Dragon has a yellow tongue and blue mouth and the Nobbi has a pink tongue and mouth.

Young Bearded Dragons also look like Jacky, Mountain and Nobbi Dragons but may be distinguished by the presence of lateral (side) spines which are absent from the other three species. 


Dragons

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Discussion

7 hrs ago
Hi @PatrickCampbell2 we recommended using a mix of peanut butter, oats and honey as a standard bait but also encouraged the use of meat like tuna if folks were interested in targeting other species.

Unfortunately it's hard to know exactly what was used but it's like the peanut butter oats honey combo

Thank you for your thoughts on this ID! 😊😊

Intellagama lesueurii howittii
13 hrs ago
Hi James and Joel. Your ID's are good. It's definitely Intellagama lesueurii and looks most like and is most likely to be Intellagama lesueurii howittii. Despite the pics not being the clearest, most detailed shots, there's nothing to suggest it could be anything else. Also, all nearby records in all directions are identified as this subspecies, or left at species level, which is an option here. I reckon it looks to be an adult male.
What exactly is being used in these baits to attract lizards to what I assume is a wildlife camera?

Intellagama lesueurii howittii
27 Aug 2025
Hi again @PatrickCampbell2, once again would love your thoughts :)

Intellagama lesueurii
27 Aug 2025
@PatrickCampbell2, hope you don't mind the tag. Your expertise here would be appreciated, thank you in advance :)

Intellagama lesueurii howittii
19 Jun 2025
With an edible hitchhiker!

Pogona barbata
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