Jacky Dragon

The Jacky Dragon (Amphibolurus muricatus) is a medium sized lizard that is native to the Southeastern parts of Australia. In a country full of reptiles, the Jacky Dragon was one of the first reptiles to be named in Australia, and was done so by George Shaw in "Surgeon-General White’s Journal of a Voyage to New South Wales" (1790).

Other common names for the Jacky Dragon are Tree Dragon, Bloodsucker, and Stonewalker. Whatever people may call it, this lizard species is well-known for it's vertebral crest and bright yellow mouth. Jacky Dragon's are diurnal and can be seen using only their rear legs when running away from predators. This ability is due to their highly developed rear limbs. Other common morphological characteristics include their wide, fleshy tongues, rough scales and their lack of tail autotomy. Lizards of the family Agamidae, like the Jacky Dragon, also are oviparous, and dig burrows to lay their eggs.

Jacky Dragons tend to be a pale grey to brown in color, and most have darker colored patches along the length of their back. They also sport a dark stripe between their eye and their ear. As mentioned, they also have bright yellow lining in their mouth. These lizards tend to grow to lengths of about 9 inches with their tail. The tail itself is about twice as long as their bodies. Jacky Dragons normally weigh about 30 grams.

Jacky Dragon Classification