Agamid ID help

[gomeztime]

Hi Everyone,

found this little guy near Florence Falls in Litchfield NP, NT. Does anyone have a suggestion about it.

Thanks
Mal

 

[JasonL]

Diporiphora bilineata

 

[eipper]

subadult Amphibolurus gilberti

 

[longirostris]

I agree with Eipper. This is a young Gilberts dragon. Lophognathus Gilberti. About half to three quarters normal adult size and looks like a female.

 

[JasonL]

Doh! I was way off on that one.... Lophognathus? have they been re classed?

 

[longirostris]

Yeah, they were reclassified from Lophognathus to Amphibolurus sometime ago. Sorry just being facetious, I actually prefer Lophognathus. Having six of the seven species from the current group in the Amphibolurus complex in my own collection, most of which I have kept and bred for many years, I have some difficulty looking at longirostris, muricatus and nobbi and seeing any relationships other then the obvious, which is they are all dragons. IMO Nobbi dragons are more closely associated with the Diporiphora complex then they are with Amphibolurus and longirostris, gilberti and temporalis have little similarity with muricatus or norrisi. The only one for me that I would possibly leave in the Amphibolurus group because I do see similarities is burnsi. In the Southern form of burnsi the similarities between muricatus and burnsi are apparent. Size being the only obvious visual determining factor in many cases and perhaps geographic location of the animal the other.

Most people know what I am talking about when I refer to Lophognathus in preferance to Amphibolurus and more then a few of them actually agree with me. Not that I am trying to be controversial, far from it. Just my opinion thats all.

Intersting to note though that NPWS has just released a new species list which includes all four species of the Lophognathus genus. I guess there are perhaps more then I thought that think Lophognathus is more appropriate for these species then Amphibolurus.

You call them what you like I will continue to call them Lophognathus.

Cheers

 

[Bushfire]

NPWS most follow whatever is written in Cogger and give little consideration on what is written or said elsewhere. So whatever Cogger has them as generally speaking is what the authorities follow.

Having said that I mostly agree with longhognathus except I think nobbi should stay as Amphibolurus.

 

[JasonL]

Know exactly where your coming from, we all have our own "pet hates" when it comes to name changes, I just thought for a second that they may of been moved back... it's hard to keep up these days

 

[gomeztime]

Thanks everyone, I was originally going with bilineata myself but couldn't get past the SVL of 55mm, it was too small for the critter in question. I'm happy with the Gilberts confirmation.

Cheers