Ctenophorus
Ctenophorus nuchalis, central netted dragon
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Agamidae
Subfamily: Amphibolurinae
Genus: Ctenophorus
Fitzinger, 1843[1]
Species

38 species, see text

Ctenophorus is a genus of lizards, commonly known as comb-bearing dragons, found in Australia. They are in the dragon lizard family, known as Agamidae.[2]

Description

The genus contains the most diverse group of dragon lizards in Australia. It is the largest group of Australian lizards and it has an extensive radiation in the arid zones.[2] Many of the species of Ctenophorus have been grouped by a similar morphology. The informal names and groupings within this genus — rock dragon, sand dragon, crevice-dragon, ground dragon, and bicycle-dragon — are named after the mythological creature, the dragon.

Lizards in the genus Ctenophorus may be confused with lizards in the genera Tympanocryptis and Diporiphora.[3]

Species

There were 34 recognised species in the genus[4] until a new study published in June 2023 discovered four more in South Australia[5][6] adding up to a total of 38 species. The new species are included in the list below.

2023 identification of new species

Danielle Edwards, curator of terrestrial vertebrates at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, and Mark Hutchinson, of the South Australian Museum, both started studying sand dragons in 2008, when only three species[7] (C. fordi, C. femoralis, and C. maculatus) had been identified. Their June 2023 study published in the Journal of Herpetology provided additional morphological data from all of candidate species, which led to the recognition of 11 species. Of these, four taxa were found to be species rather than subspecies, with another four species newly described.[6]

The four new species, all endemic to the state of South Australia, have been assigned names relating to their respective Aboriginal language of their habitat:[7][5]

Polymorphism

Lizards of the genus Ctenophorus are known to display colour polymorphism, more than one colour type being found within a population. It is believed that colour polymorphism in this group has evolved as a result of a combination of sexual selection and natural selection.[8]

References

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  1. ↑ "Ctenophorus ". Dahms Tierleben. www.dahmstierleben.de.
  2. 1 2 Doughty, Paul; Maryan, Brad; Melville, Jane; Austin, Jeremy (2007). "A New Species of Ctenophorus (Lacertilia: Agamidae) from Lake Disappointment, Western Australia". Herpetologica. 63: 72–86. doi:10.1655/0018-0831(2007)63[72:ANSOCL]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 86297349.
  3. ↑ Swan G, Shea G, Sadlier R (2004) A Field Guide to Reptiles of New South Wales. Sydney, New South Wales: Reed New Holland. ISBN 187706906X.
  4. ↑ "Search results for "Ctenophorus"". The Reptile Database. Archived from the original on 9 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Close-Brown, Eelemarni (5 July 2023). "First languages give names to newly discovered lizards". National Indigenous Times. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Edwards, Danielle L.; Hutchinson, Mark N. (14 June 2023). "Sand Dragons: Species of the Ctenophorus maculatus Complex (Squamata: Agamidae) of Australia's southern and western interior". Journal of Herpetology. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. 57 (2). doi:10.1670/22-021. ISSN 0022-1511. S2CID 259430629.
  7. 1 2 Cominos, Christian (3 July 2023). "The tjakalpa, kartiwarrui, ibiri and tuniluki sand dragon lizards are new to science". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  8. ↑ Stuart-Fox DM, Moussalli A (2004). "Evolution of Color Variation in Dragon Lizards: Quantitative Tests of the Role of Crypsis and Local Adaptation". Evolution. 58 (7): 1549–1559. doi:10.1554/03-448. PMID 15341157. S2CID 9060145.

Further reading

  • Fitzinger L (1843). Systema Reptilium, Fasciculus Primus, Amblyglossae. Vienna: Braumüller & Seidel. 106 pp. + indices. (Ctenophorus, new genus, p. 83). (in Latin).
  • Wilson S, Swan G (2003). A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia. Second edition. Sydney: New Holland Publishing.
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