Chelosania

Chelosania is a genus of agamid lizards that contains a single species, Chelosania brunnea. These are commonly known as the ring-tailed dragon or the Australian chameleon dragon.[1] They live in West Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland.[2]

Chelosania
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Agamidae
Genus: Chelosania
Species:
C. brunnea
Binomial name
Chelosania brunnea
Gray, 1845

Chelsiona has short limbs with a laterally compressed body, and small eye apertures and large ear openings.[3] They have an average snout to vent length of 11.8cm,[4] and average total length of 30cm.[2]

Chelsonia is usually seen on the ground or in low level vegetation, and is slow moving.[2] Females lay eggs in burrows between July and August, with up to 8 eggs recorded. Chelsonia eats ants, and has been recorded eating Green Ants.[3]

Genetic analysis shows that Chelsonia, along with the Thorny Devil, is a significantly older species than more recent desert agamids. [3]

References
  1. http://www.arod.com.au/arod/reptilia/Squamata/Agamidae/Chelosania/brunnea
  2. "Chelosania brunnea". Atlas of Living Australia. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  3. Melville, Jane; Wilson, Steve (2019). Dragon Lizards of Australia. Melbourne: Museums Victoria Publishing. p. 94. ISBN 978-1-921833-49-6.
  4.   Chelosania brunnea at the Australian Reptile Online Database. Last updated 2016-10-30 11:25:38. Retrieved from http://www.arod.com.au/arod/?species=Chelosania+brunnea on 17 April 2020
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