Rankinia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rankinia |
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| Mountain Dragon (Rankinia diemensis) | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Iguania |
| Family: | Agamidae |
| Subfamily: | Amphibolurinae |
| Genus: | Rankinia Wells & Wellington, 1984 |
| Type species | |
| Grammatophora muricata diemensis Gray, 1841
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The Mountain Dragon (scientific name: Rankinia diemensis) is a small lizard. It is also known as the mountain heath dragon. This special lizard belongs to a group called agamid reptiles. The Mountain Dragon is the only type of lizard in its group, Rankinia. You can only find it in Australia, which means it is an endemic animal there.
Contents
Where They Live and What They Like
Their Home in Australia
Mountain Dragons live in the higher areas of New South Wales and Victoria. They also live in Tasmania. In Tasmania, they are the only native agamid lizard.
Their Favorite Places
These dragons like dry woodlands and heath areas. They need open spaces where they can warm up in the sun. This warming up is called thermoregulation. It helps them control their body temperature.
What They Eat
Mountain Dragons eat ants and other small invertebrates. Invertebrates are tiny creatures without backbones, like insects.
Staying Safe
These lizards do not climb very high. Instead, they use their colors and patterns to blend in with their surroundings. This is called camouflage. It helps them hide from animals that might try to eat them.
What They Look Like
Colors and Patterns
Mountain Dragons are usually grey to reddish-brown. They have two rows of lighter stripes or blotches on their backs. These marks look like two lines of spots. Their bellies can be a cream color.
Size of a Mountain Dragon
These lizards can grow up to 20 centimeters (about 8 inches) long. But most of them are a bit smaller. Female Mountain Dragons are usually larger than the males. Their body length, from snout to the base of their tail, is about 7.5 centimeters (about 3 inches). It can be up to 9 centimeters. They also have a row of spiky scales on each side of their tail base.
How They Are Different from Other Lizards
The Mountain Dragon looks a bit like the jacky dragon. However, Mountain Dragons can be much redder. Also, the inside of a Mountain Dragon's mouth is pink. The jacky dragon, on the other hand, has a yellow mouth.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Mountain Dragons breed during the summer. The female dragon lays her eggs in a burrow. She usually lays between 2 and 9 eggs at a time. These lizards are oviparous, which means they lay eggs.
