Spiny tailed, heat loving, built for the harsh hours. Uromastyx look tough then you notice how steady they are. That tail isn’t just decoration; it’s a warning. What they eat can surprise you more than their armor. And the habitat? It’s not “pretty” it’s survival mode. Meet the lizards that thrive where most would quit. Want the full breakdown?
Boyd's forest dragon (Lophosaurus boydii) is a species of arboreal agamid lizard found in rainforests and their margins in the Wet Tropics region of northern Queensland, Australia. Adults are sexually dimorphic, with males larger than females and having larger, blockier heads. Adult males grow to an average body length (snout-vent length) of about 6.3 inches, with the tail adding another 12.8 inches; average body length for adult females is about 5.5 inches and tail length is about 11 inches. Average body mass for adult males is about 150 g (5.3 oz), and for females is about 100 g (3.5 oz).
Boyd's forest dragons are generally brown or grey above, with some individuals having a green flush. The body is laterally compressed. They have very enlarged cheek scales, a prominent nuchal crest, and a yellow dewlap under the chin that is edged with enlarged spines. The tympanum is large and superficial. A dorsal crest, discontinuous with the nuchal crest, consisting of enlarged, hardened and pointed scales, runs down to the base of the tail.
Boyd's forest dragons spend the majority of their time perched on the trunks of trees, usually at around head height. When approached, they will usually move around to the opposite side of the tree, keeping the trunk between them and their harasser. Boyd's forest dragons typically commence activity at dawn and cease activity at dusk, remaining active even when it rains. Hatchlings, juveniles and smaller adults can often be found 'sleeping' at night at the ends of tree branches with their head pointing back towards the trunk. Activity is highly seasonal, all but ceasing during the cooler months, when lizards typically move into the rainforest canopy.
Unlike most other lizards, Boyd's forest dragons don't bask in the sun, instead letting their body temperature fluctuate with air temperature. The one possible exception to this general rule is gravid (pregnant) females, which are often observed sitting on or beside forest roads and exhibit elevated body temperatures.
Both males and females appear to be territorial, with males defending an area of around 1,000 square metres (0.247 acre). Female territories are smaller, with male territories often containing the territories of more than one female.
Reproduction is via eggs, with clutch sizes varying from one to six eggs. Egg size and weight are both higher in upland populations. Females in lowland populations may lay more than one clutch in a season, but clutch sizes are typically smaller than those laid by upland females. The eggs are laid in shallow nests, often in rainforest clearings — both natural and man-made (the verges of roads are particularly popular). The eggs take about 100 days to incubate.
Boyd's forest dragons are sit-and-wait predators, catching prey that they spy from their perches, although once on the ground, they will frequently move over a wider area, catching prey as they go. Their diet consists primarily of invertebrates, with earthworms making up a relatively high proportion. Small fruits and vertebrates are also occasionally consumed.
Phrynocephalus mystaceus is a species of agamid lizard found in Iran, North Afghanistan, Eastern Caucasus, Kazakhstan and possibly in south of Astrakhan Oblast. With the tail straightened, adults can reach a length of up to 24 centimetres in length and is notable for its red oral display frill.
