Scientific name: Chlamydosaurus kingii

Conservation status: Least concern

Environmental Threats: Climate Change. Extreme Weather. Feral Cats.

Lifespan: Unknown in the wild – 10 to 20 years in captivity. Solitary life except when mating.

Reproduction: 8 – 14 eggs laid at the beginning of the wet season. Eggs hatch in 70 days.

Care for Young: Hatchlings are fully self-sufficient at only 3-5g in weight.

Size: 45 – 90cm long (two thirds being their tail)

Weight: Males = 900g Females = 450g

Frilled-Neck Lizards can be found in dry forests, semi-arid woodlands, and hot tropical forests. They originate in Northern Australia and Southern New Guinea.
 

A Frilled Lizard can eat insects, spiders, other invertebrates, rodents, and small reptiles.

Off and Running

Frilled Lizards can make a rapid escape when avoiding potential predators. They have bipedal locomotion when running. The lizard runs up on its hind legs and races for safety of the nearest tree.

On high

Frilled-neck Lizards spend most of their time up on high on the trunks and branches of trees in search for an invertebrate meal. It will come to ground at times in search of other food or to run from danger.

The Thrill of a Frill 

When this lizard is alarmed or faces a threat, it will open its mouth widely, spreading its frill wide with a flash of orange ochre scales. In a defensive posture with the frill is fully extended it can reach more than 30cm wide [think a school ruler], making this charismatic dragon seem larger than what it is. The spectacular thrill of this frill also helps males to attract and impress the females.

The frill cannot be extended unless the dragons jaws are opened wide. The two actions are synchronous.
 

The Frilled Lizard is the reptile emblem of Australia and was depicted on the two-cent coin on the 14th of February 1966. The design was not changed until the two-cent coin stopped circulation in February 1992.

Yes! A Frilled Lizard is also commonly called a 'Frilled-neck Lizard'.