Frill-necked lizard

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Frilled-Neck lizard
Chlamydosaurus kingii.jpg
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordate
Class: Sauropsida
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Lacertilia
Family: Agamidae
Subfamily: Agaminae
Genus: Chlamydosaurus
Species: C. kingii
Binomial name
Chlamydosaurus kingii
Gray, 1825

The frilled-neck lizard[1] (Chlamydosaurus kingii), also known as the frilled lizard or frilled dragon, is a type of lizard that is found mainly in northern Australia and southern New Guinea. This species is the only member of the genus Chlamydosaurus. Its name comes from the large frill around its neck, which usually stays folded against the lizard's body. It is largely arboreal, spending the majority of the time in the trees. The lizard's diet consists mainly of insects and small vertebrates. The frill-necked lizard is a relatively large lizard, averaging 85 cm in length. It is also kept as an exotic pet.


British zoologist John Edward Gray described the frill-necked lizard in 1825 as Clamydosaurus Kingii, from a specimen collected by Captain Phillip Parker King.[2][3]


A frill-necked lizard in a reptile display

The frilled-neck lizard is so called because of the large ruff of skin which usually lies folded back against its head and neck. The neck frill is supported by long spines of cartilage which are connected to the jaw bones. When the lizard is frightened, it produces a startling deimatic display: it gapes its mouth, exposing a bright pink or yellow lining; it spreads out its frill, displaying bright orange and red scales; raises its body; and sometimes holds its tail above its body.[4] This reaction is used for territorial displays, to discourage predators, and during courtship.[5]

The lizard is a relatively large member of the agamid family, growing up to 85 cm (2.79 ft).[6] It is capable of bipedal locomotion.[5] The frilled-neck lizard does not have a standard colour, but its body is darker than its frill.

Distribution and habitat[edit]

Frill-necked lizard in natural environment, showing camouflage

The frilled-neck lizard is found mainly in the northern regions of Australia and southern New Guinea. The lizard is also, on rare occasions, found in the lower desert regions of Australia. The lizard inhabits humid climates such as those in the tropical savannah woodlands.[7] The frill-necked lizard is an arboreal lizard, meaning it spends a majority of its time in the trees.[7] The lizard ventures to the floor only in search of food, or to engage in territorial conflicts.[citation needed] The arboreal habitat may be a product of the lizard's diet, which consists mainly of small arthropods and vertebrates (usually smaller lizards).[citation needed] However, the trees are most importantly used for camouflage. There is not one standard colour: rather, colouration varies according to the lizard's environment. For example, a lizard found in a dryer, clay filled environment will most likely have a collage of oranges, reds, and browns; whereas a lizard found in a damper, more tropical region will tend to show darker browns and greys. This suggests they are adapted to their habitats; their colors are a form of camouflage.[8]


Cryptic pose on termite mound in the Northern Territory

Like many lizards, frill-necked lizards are carnivores, feeding on cicadas, beetles, termites, and mice .[9] They especially favour butterflies and moths, their larvae even more so.[10] Though insects are their primary source of food, they also consume spiders and occasionally other lizards.[11] Like most members of the agamids (dragons), frill-necked lizards employ an ambush method of hunting, lying in wait for their prey.[12] When the lizards eat, they eat in abundance; these binge periods usually occur during the wet season, when they ingest hundreds to thousands of alate (flying) ants or termites.[12]


The frilled-neck lizard is ectothermic and maintains its body temperature by basking for up to 30 minutes[citation needed] to achieve an average of 2–3°C above the surrounding temperature. Weather conditions, including sunlight, are the main factors regulating the lizards’ temperature. This basking period usually occurs in the morning to early afternoon. During the basking period, the lizard will be found near the bottom of a tree and out from under the forest canopy.[citation needed] This ensures maximum exposure to sunlight. However, the lizard's final internal temperature depends mainly on the ambient temperature of the surrounding environment. The lizard's frill is thought to aid in thermoregulation.[13]

Reproduction and sexual dimorphism[edit]

Chlamydosaurus kingii from Narrative of a Survey Volume 2, by Phillip Parker King, 1827.

The frilled-neck lizard is sexually dimorphic; meaning that there are physical differences between male and females. This dimorphism is apparent in the length of the lizard; the male is generally larger than the female.[12] There is little to no dimorphism in the color of the lizard. Frill-necked lizards breed in the early wet season from September to October. Adult males fight for mates, displaying their frills and biting each other. One to two clutches of 6–25 eggs are laid from early to mid-wet season from November to February. The eggs are laid in a nest 5–20 cm below ground, and usually in sunny areas. Incubation takes two to three months. Gender is partly temperature determined, with extreme temperatures producing exclusively females, and intermediate temperatures (29 to 35°C) producing equal numbers of males and females. Their eggs are soft-shelled.[12]

Predatory threats[edit]

The species' main threats are eagles, owls, larger lizards, snakes, dingoes and quolls.[14]

In culture[edit]

A frill-necked lizard was featured on the reverse of the Australian 2-cent coin until 1991. A frill-necked lizard, known as "Lizzie," was the mascot for the 2000 Paralympic Games.[13] The emblem of the Australian Army's Regional Force Surveillance Unit, Norforce (North West Mobile Force) is the frill-necked lizard.[15]

Because of its unique appearance and behavior, the frill-necked lizard is commonly used in film and television. A frill-necked lizard named Frank appears in the Disney film The Rescuers Down Under and one named Osgood appears in the anime Noozles. In the film Jurassic Park, the dinosaur Dilophosaurus was portrayed with a fictional neck frill, which was raised during attack, similar to that of a frilled-neck lizard. The movie generated an increase in demand for frill-necked lizards as pets.[16]


  1. ^
  2. ^ Gray (1825). "A synopsis of the genera of reptiles and Amphibia, with a description of some new species". Annals of Philosophy 2 10: 193-217 [197]. 
  3. ^ Australian Biological Resources Study (28 May 2014). "Species Chlamydosaurus kingii J.E. Gray, 1825". Australian Faunal Directory. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Australian Government. Retrieved 11 May 2015. 
  4. ^ Cott, Hugh B. (1940). Adaptive Coloration in Animals. London: Methuen. p. 218. 
  5. ^ a b Cogger, Harold G. (1986). Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. 2 Aquatic Drive Frenchs Forest NSW 2086: Reed Books PTY LTD. p. 238. ISBN 0 7301 0088 X. 
  6. ^ Savage, Melissa. "Chlamydosaurus kingii". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 2012-09-21. 
  7. ^ a b Savage, Melissa (2001). "Animal Diversity Web: Chlamydosaurus kingii". University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Retrieved 17 November 2009. 
  8. ^ "Creature Features - Licenced Pets". ABC Online Home. ABC. Retrieved 11 June 2010. 
  9. ^ "Frilled lizard, frill-neck lizard, King’s lizard". Retrieved 2009-11-17. 
  10. ^ "Frill-Necked Lizard". Retrieved 2009-11-19. 
  11. ^ Bradtke, Birgit. "The Australian Frilled Lizard". Retrieved 2009-11-17. 
  12. ^ a b c d Shine, Richard; Robert Lambeck (1989). "Ecology of Frillneck Lizards in Tropical Australia" (PDF). Australian Wildlife 16: 491–500. Retrieved 2009-11-20. [dead link]
  13. ^ a b "Frilled Lizard". Burke's Backyard. CTC Productions. 2000. Retrieved 10 December 2009. 
  14. ^ "Animal Fact Sheets Frilled Lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii)". ARAZPA. ARAZPA. 2006. Retrieved 2010-01-06. 
  15. ^ "Unit History". 
  16. ^ Christy, Bryan (2008). The Lizard King: The True Crimes and Passions of the World's Greatest Reptile Smugglers. New York: Twelve. p. 256. ISBN 978-0-446-58095-3. 
  • Bedford, G. S. 1995. Anti-predator tactics from the Frilled Neck Lizard Chlamydosaurus kingii. Journal of the Victorian Herpetelogical Society 6(3): 120-130.
  • Harlow, P. S. and R. Shine. 1998. Temperature dependent sex-determination in the frillneck lizard Chlamydosaurus kingii (Agamidae). Herpetologica 55(2): 205-212.
  • Shine, R. and R. Lambeck. 1989. Ecology of frillneck lizards, Chlamydosaurus kingii (Agamidae) in tropical Australia. Australian Wildlife Research 16: 491-500.
  • From The Centre: Kakadu. Australian Broadcasting Corporation 2002.

External links[edit]