Gilbert's / Ta Ta Dragon

[NicG]

Hi guys,

I'm currently at a minesite in NW QLD and have seen these cute little dragons running around. They're predominantly grey with light striping and run away on their hind legs when startled.

Initial research says they're most likely to be Gilbert's or Ta Ta Dragons, but one thing doesn't match. Many (all?) of these dragons have a orangish-pinkish throat which is not mentioned in any of the descriptions I've come across. Is it possible they develop this colouration during the breeding season? If not, then what other dragon could it be?

Thanks in advance,
Nic

P.S. No I don't have any useful photos. I tried to take some but my flashless camera-phone in combination with the distance and the low evening light proved to be a futile combination.

 

[glassless_mind]

If it's a ta ta lizard, then go and approach one. You'll quickly know if it is or not.
Ta ta lizards, when threatened, stand up on their back legs and wave tata with one front paw before they run away. If the lizard does this when you approach it, then it is indeed a ta ta lizard. If not, then it isn't simple test.

 

[longirostris]

How far from the coast are you? Could be a couple of different species including gilberts but without pictures we would all just be guessing. They do not develope any colouring during breeding other then the male developing large areas of black on the underbelly, throat and sometimes flanks although not as obvious.

A good mate of mine sent me a picture once of a gilberts dragon with a bright red head. It was the most extraordinary thing I had seen. I can't repost it without his permission so don't ask. I think it is being used in a forthcoming book. The thing about this though is that the picture of the red headed Gilberts was a once off anomoly that I don't think has been seen again. Your saying that the orange/pink markings were relatively common, so who knows.

 

[NicG]

The nearest town (if you can call it that) is Lawn Hill. It's about 180km from coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria and about 70km from the NT border.

I would say that at least 3/4 of the dragons (of a dozen or so) had the coloured throat - some I only saw from behind. This is assuming they're all the same type of dragon.

 

[NicG]

UPDATE:
Last night I saw a couple of definite male Gilbert's, which had the dark bellies. I also saw a few (presumably) females with lighter colouring. And this time I noticed the telltale 'ta-ta' hand waving.

What I didn't see was the prominent pinkish-orangish throats; only one of them had a trace of colour towards the sides of the jawline, but it was in no way comparable to what I'd seen a few days earlier. This is leading me to believe that it was hormonal ...

 

[cris]

The orangish throats may be caused by the dirt, i have seen one with a red head before but it was just dirty skin rather than the colour of the lizard.

 

[NicG]

Maybe you're right. The dirt is definitely reddish around here. Could be as simple as that ...

 

[longirostris]

The "Ta Ta" lizard tag is used for more then just Gilberts dragons. Long nosed dragons (L. longirostris) and Swampland dragons (L. temporalis) or Northern Water dragons as they are also commonly called are also referred to in their range as "Ta Ta's".

The temporalis I have definately have pinkish spots but usually from around the mid body section through to the first couple of inches of the tail. The pink colouring is not solid but rather spotty over the top of the normal greyish green black body colour. Quite a spectacular animal in my view when displaying the full colour range. Usually it is the males with the pinkish spots, the females that I have do not have any pink at all.

Maybe there is a form that does display a pinkish/red throat during mating activity. The animals I have are from around the Darwin area so there could be some differences.

Pictures would be good. Mine are typical of any picture found in any book or on line re L. temporalis.