Lophognathus

Lophognathus
	Lophognathus gilberti.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Iguania
Family:	Agamidae
Subfamily:	Amphibolurinae
Genus:	Lophognathus; Gray, 1842

Lophognathus is a genus of large-bodied agamid lizards, consisting of two species — L. gilberti and L. horneri — both of which are endemic to northern Australia. Along with several other closely related genera (e.g., Amphibolurus, Gowidon, and Tropicagama), 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.

The first description of a species in the genus Lophognathus was by John Edward Gray in 1842.[1] The species he described, Lophognathus gilberti, was named after English naturalist John Gilbert, the collector of the type specimen.[2]

Species

Two species are currently recognized in this genus:[3]

Lophognathus gilberti Gray, 1842 – Gilbert's lashtail, Gilbert's dragon
Lophognathus horneri Melville, Ritchie, Chapple, Glor, & Schulte, 2018

Two species formerly included in genus Lophognathus have been reclassified, as follows:[3]

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

References

Gray JE (1842). "Description of some hitherto unrecorded species of Australian reptiles and batrachians". Zoological Miscellany (London: Treuttel, Würtz & Co.) pp. 51—57. (Lophognathus, new genus, p. 53; L. gilberti, new species, p. 53).
Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Lophognathus gilberti, p. 101).
Melville, Jane; Ritchie, Euan G.; Chapple, Stephanie N.J.; Glor, Richard E.; Schulte, James A. (2018). "Diversity in Australia's tropical savannas: An integrative taxonomic revision of agamid lizards from the genera Amphibolurus and Lophognathus (Lacertilia: Agamidae)" (PDF). Memoirs of Museum Victoria. 77: 41–61. doi:10.24199/j.mmv.2018.77.04.

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[1] Gray JE (1842). "Description of some hitherto unrecorded species of Australian reptiles and batrachians". Zoological Miscellany (London: Treuttel, Würtz & Co.) pp. 51—57. (Lophognathus, new genus, p. 53; L. gilberti, new species, p. 53).

[2] Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Lophognathus gilberti, p. 101).

[Melville2018-3] Melville, Jane; Ritchie, Euan G.; Chapple, Stephanie N.J.; Glor, Richard E.; Schulte, James A. (2018). "Diversity in Australia's tropical savannas: An integrative taxonomic revision of agamid lizards from the genera Amphibolurus and Lophognathus (Lacertilia: Agamidae)" (PDF). Memoirs of Museum Victoria. 77: 41–61. doi:10.24199/j.mmv.2018.77.04.