Photo Credit: Matt from Melbourne, Australia, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Frilled Lizard

Chlamydosaurus kingii

Animal Class: Reptile

Length: Around 35 inches

Weight: 1-2 pounds

Lifespan: 10-15 years

Diet: Primarily insectivore

Habitat: Northern Australia and southern New Guinea, preferably areas with trees.

Description: Frilled lizards are distinctive for the flap of skin that surrounds the head. The lizard can extend the frill like a satellite dish. It uses this display as a threat to predators or to communicate with other frilled lizards. They’ll often open their mouths, hiss, and lash their tails too.

Frilled lizards are mostly arboreal, and spend most of their time in trees.  They’re more active during the day and during the wet season.

Conservation Status: Least Concern

Our Animals: Frank