Frill-necked lizard

목도리도마뱀

The frill-necked lizard of northern Australia and southern New Guinea flares a large collar when threatened, opening its mouth wide. It can also run upright on its hind legs with its tail held out behind.

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At a glance

Class: Reptiles
Lives in: Northern Australia and southern New Guinea
Diet: Insect eater
Length: about 0.7 m
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN LC)
Habitat: savannas, forests

Quick answers

Where does the Frill-necked lizard live?

It lives in savannas, forests. On the globe you can find it near Northern Australia and southern New Guinea.

How big is the Frill-necked lizard?

It grows to about 0.7 m.

What does the Frill-necked lizard eat?

Its diet: insect eater.

Is the Frill-necked lizard endangered?

It is listed as Least Concern (IUCN LC).

The frilled lizard lives in northern Australia and southern New Guinea. It is the only member of its genus, Chlamydosaurus, and it is named for the large frill of skin around its neck. Most of the time the frill lies folded against its body.

It can grow to about 90 centimetres from head to tail tip and weigh around 600 grams. Its body is grey, brown, orange-brown or black, while the frill can be red, orange, yellow or white. When the lizard is scared it opens its mouth wide and spreads the frill like an umbrella to look bigger. Scientists rate the species as Least Concern, which means it is not currently in danger.

Life in the trees

The frilled lizard is mostly arboreal, which means it spends most of its time in trees. It eats mainly insects and other small animals without a backbone. In the wet season it comes down and spends more time near or on the ground, but in the dry season it hides in the shade of the upper branches, so it is seen much less often. It breeds from the late dry season into the early wet season.

What is the frill for?

The frill scares off predators and also works as a display to other lizards. The lizard opens its mouth, hisses and flares the colourful collar, which makes it look much larger. Males are bigger and sturdier than females. If the bluff does not work, it may run away on its hind legs. The lizard was first described in 1825 by the British zoologist John Edward Gray, who named it kingii after Captain Phillip Parker King. The scientific name Chlamydosaurus means 'cloaked lizard'.

Fun facts

When frightened it opens a big frill around its neck, hisses, and may run away on its hind legs.
Its scientific name means 'cloaked lizard'.
Frilled lizards probably reached New Guinea around 17,000 years ago, when lower sea levels made a land bridge from Cape York.
The frill can be red, orange, yellow or white.