home    articles    species index    care sheets     links

Australian Frilled Lizard, Frillneck Lizards, Frilled Dragon

Coloration = shades of brown.
Legs are long and slim.The enlarged hind legs are designed to allow the lizard to run on two legs.
Spiny scales.
The most distinctive feature of this lizard is it's frilled ruff. When fully spread, the ruff can be up to 10 inches across. The ruff is very colorful. It can have yellow, red, white, and black spots. Frilled ruffs of males are larger than those of females.

Between 1.5 and 3 feet long. Weight = up to 1 pound.

8 to 10 years

Northern Australia, Papua New Guinea

Open dry forests, tree covered steppes.

Arboreal, diurnal, solitary. Males are territorial and aggressive.

This lizard will spread it's frilled ruff in an attempt to appear larger in order to ward off predators. It may also hiss and flick it's tail back and forth.

Lizards, birds, snakes, and mammals.

Insects, spiders, small mammals, eggs

Breeding normally occurs in early spring. The female will lay 2 to 8 eggs which hatch after 8 to 12 weeks.

IN CAPTIVITY

Males should not be kept together due their aggressive territorial nature.

Chlamydosaurus kingi is not currently in danger of extinction.

* The ruff can be used to absorb heat.

For more information, visit these other web sites:

www.frilleddragon.com

Frilled Lizard by EnchantedLearning.com

Chlamydosaurus kingi Frilled Lizard - University of Michigan