Australian water dragon

Australian Water Dragon
Intellagama lesueurii lesueurii
Intellagama lesueurii howittii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Agamidae
Genus: Intellagama
Wells & Wellington, 1985
Species:
I. lesueurii
Binomial name
Intellagama lesueurii
(Gray, 1831)
Subspecies
  • Intellagama lesueurii lesueurii
    (Gray, 1831)
    eastern water dragon
  • Intellagama lesuerii howittii
    (F. McCoy, 1884)
    Gippsland water dragon
Synonyms[2][3]
  • Lophura lesueurii Gray, 1831
  • Istiurus lesueurii
    — A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1837
  • Iguana panamatensis
    Fitzinger, 1843
  • Amphibolurus maculiferus
    Girard, 1857
  • Amphibolurus heterurus
    W. Peters, 1866
  • Amphibolurus branchialis
    De Vis, 1884
  • Physignathus lesueurii
    — Boulenger, 1885
  • Intellagama lesueurii
    — Wells & Wellington, 1985

The Australian water dragon (Intellagama lesueurii),[2] which includes the eastern water dragon (Intellagama lesueurii lesueurii ) and the Gippsland water dragon (Intellagama lesueurii howittii ) subspecies, is an arboreal agamid species native to eastern Australia from Victoria northwards to Queensland. There may be a small introduced population on the south-east coast of South Australia. The Gippsland water dragon is generally the more southern of the two subspecies and the more cold adapted and heat sensitive. Visually distinguishing the Gippsland water dragon from the Eastern water dragon is relatively easy, as long as their skin is reasonably clean and not stained from the water, as identification of the two subspecies depends largely on observable differences in colours and patterns.

The Gippsland water dragon may be distinguished by its green-blue colour, especially during the breeding season, when this overall colouration is quite distinct. Another key difference is the absence of a prominent dark stripe behind the eye in the Gippsland water dragon, which is characteristic of the Eastern Water Dragon. The gular region of the two subspecies is also quite different, with Intellagama l. howittii having orange-yellow streaked with darker striping, which is sometimes quite striking, particularly in mature males, whereas Intellagama l. lesueurii typically has a pale, unmarked throat that is sometimes immaculate white in mature males. The belly and chest of Intellagama l. howittii are also quite different to Intellagama l. lesueurii, usually being blackish green, especially in mature males, and the limbs are often quite dark, sometimes even black. Whereas in Intellagama l. lesueurii the chest and belly are usually bright to deep red, particularly in mature males. Intellagama l. lesueurii also have relatively strong dark transverse bars across the back, whereas these dark bars are often much reduced in the Gippsland Water Dragon.

  1. ^ Tallowin, O.; Hobson, R.; Venz, M.; Wilson, S.; Shea, G.; Vanderduys, E. (2018). "Intellagama lesueurii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22566194A22566245. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T22566194A22566245.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b Amey, A.P.; Couper, P.J.; Shea, G.M. (2012). "Intellagama lesueurii (Gray, 1831), the correct binomial combination for the Australian Eastern Water Dragon (Sauria, Agamidae)" (PDF). Zootaxa. 3390 (1): 65–67. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3390.1.6.
  3. ^ "Intellagama lesueurii ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.