''Tympanocryptis condaminensis'', the Condamine earless 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 continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

. It is a small to medium-sized ''Tympanocryptis'' with well-developed lateral and ventral body patterning, consisting of strongly contrasting brown-black and white irregular banding and speckling. It is currently known from the eastern

Darling Downs The Darling Downs is a farming region on the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range in southern Queensland, Australia. The Downs are to the west of South East Queensland and are one of the major regions of Queensland. The name was generally ...

, where it inhabits the remnant native grasslands, croplands and roadside verges on the black cracking clays of the

Condamine River The Condamine River, part of the Balonne catchment that is part of the Murray-Darling Basin, drains the northern portion of the Darling Downs, an area of sub-coastal southern Queensland, Australia. The river is approximately 500 kilometres (3 ...

floodplain.

Taxonomy

The species is named after the

and floodplain, which this species inhabits.

Description

''Tympanocryptis condaminensis'' is a small to medium-sized ''Tympanocryptis'' with well-developed lateral and ventral body patterning, consisting of strongly contrasting brown-black and white irregular banding and speckling. The ventral patterning is concentrated on the head, throat and upper chest, extending posteriorly toward the lateral portions of the belly. Individuals with heavy ventral patterning usually have a narrow longitudinal stripe of white along the centre-line of the upper third of the chest. There is distinct irregular, dorso-ventral banding of brown-black and white colouration along the sides, below a narrow but continuous white lateral stripe which runs from axilla to groin. The ventral and lateral contrasting patterning consists of more white than brown-black. There are three well-defined pale spots on dorsal surface of snout: one above each nostril and one at end of snout. There are more than ten inter-nasal scales. The scales on dorsal surface of the torso are heterogeneous with interspersed un-keeled, weakly keeled and strongly keeled scales. A distinct narrow white stripe runs along the posterior edge of the thigh, extending onto the base of the tail. The femoral pores absent and there are two preanal pores.

Distribution and habitat

''Tympanocryptis condaminensis'' is currently known from the eastern

, as far north as the Pirrinuan/ Jimbour area, as far west as the town of Dalby, and south to the township of Clifton. To the east it has been recorded to the eastern extremity of the Darling Downs in the Aubigny/ Purrawunda area on the western outskirts of

Toowoomba Toowoomba ( ), nicknamed 'The Garden City' and 'T-Bar', is a city on the border of South East Queensland and Darling Downs regions of Queensland, Australia. It is located west of Queensland's capital, Brisbane. The urban population of Toowoom ...

. It inhabits the remnant native grasslands, croplands and roadside verges of the eastern Darling Downs, on the black cracking clays of the

floodplain.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q20722316 condaminensis Agamid lizards of Australia Taxa named by Jane Melville Reptiles described in 2014