Lophognathus Maculilabris
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''Lophognathus'' is a
genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of large-bodied
agamid Agamidae is a family containing 582 species in 64 genera of iguanian lizards indigenous to Africa, Asia, Australia, and a few locations in Southern Europe. Many species are commonly called dragons or dragon lizards. Overview Phylogenetically, ...
lizard Lizard is the common name used for all Squamata, squamate reptiles other than snakes (and to a lesser extent amphisbaenians), encompassing over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most Island#Oceanic isla ...
s, consisting of two species — ''L. gilberti'' and ''L. horneri'' — both of which are
endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...
to northern
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
. Along with several other closely related genera (e.g., ''
Amphibolurus ''Amphibolurus'' is a genus of lizards in the family Agamidae. The genus is endemic to Australia. Description Characteristics of the genus ''Amphibolurus'' include: * Moderate size nout–vent length * Long limbs and long tail * One to five cr ...
'', '' Gowidon'', and ''
Tropicagama ''Tropicagama'' is a genus of large-bodied lizards in the Family (biology), family Agamidae. The genus is Monotypic taxon, monotypic, with only one species listed: ''Tropicagama temporalis'', commonly known as the swamplands lashtail or northern ...
''), these lizards are commonly referred to as "dragons". In Australia, these lizards are also colloquially known as "Ta Ta" lizards, due to their habit of "waving" after running across hot surfaces. ''Lophognathus'' are slender, slightly compressed, semi-arboreal lizards. They occur in a variety of habitats, including sand dunes and arid regions, but frequently near watercourses.


Taxonomy

The genus ''Lophognathus'' was originally named and described by
John Edward Gray John Edward Gray (12 February 1800 – 7 March 1875) was a British zoologist. He was the elder brother of zoologist George Robert Gray and son of the pharmacologist and botanist Samuel Frederick Gray (1766–1828). The same is used for a z ...
in 1842. Gray JE (1842). "Description of some hitherto unrecorded species of Australian Reptiles and Batrachians". ''Zoological Miscellany'' (London: Treuttel, Würtz & Co.) ''2 51–57. (''Lophognathus'', new genus, p. 53).


Species

Two species are currently recognized in this genus: (''Lophognathus horneri'', new species, pp. 54–56 + Figures 8a, 9). Two species formerly included in genus ''Lophognathus'' have been reclassified, as follows: *''Lophognathus temporalis'' (also known as ''Amphibolurus temporalis'', ''Gemmatophora temporalis'', ''Gowidon temporalis'', ''Grammatophora temporalis'', ''Physignathus temporalis'', ''Lophognathus labialis'', ''Lophognathus lateralis'', and ''Lophognathus maculilabris'') has been reclassified as '' Tropicagama temporalis'' *''Lophognathus burnsi'' has been reclassified as ''
Amphibolurus burnsi ''Amphibolurus burnsi'', Burn's dragon, is a species of agama found in Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian con ...
''


References

Lophognathus Lizard genera Taxa named by John Edward Gray {{agamidae-stub