A quick, long-limbed lizard that loves sunlit edges, sandy heaths, and open eucalypt woodland in the southeast. It wears bark-colored browns and grays broken by pale stripes, a pattern that makes it vanish on logs and trunks. Look closely and you’ll see a neat row of tiny spines along the neck and back (its little dragon crest), a long balancing tail, and big, watchful eyes. Jackies start the day by basking to warm up, then switch to sit-and-wait hunting from a low perch: a stump, fence post, or tree trunk a meter above the ground. When beetles, ants, or moths pass, they launch in a short, explosive sprint, grab the snack, and scramble back to the lookout.

What really sets Jacky dragons apart is their body language. They have a signature display used for everything from “hello” to “back off”: a rapid tail flick to get attention, a slow arm-wave (a circular lift of the foreleg that looks like a lizard salute) to signal “not a threat,” and a series of head bobs/push-ups to say “this is my spot.” Males turn up the push-ups during courtship and when defending a perch; females use softer versions to keep the peace. It’s like semaphore for reptiles, perfect for busy habitats where wind and leaves create visual “noise.”

They’re zippy, too. Startle one on a hot day, and it can break into a short two-legged run, tiny T. rex style, before dropping back to all fours and corkscrewing around a log. If hiding is smarter, a Jacky will flatten against bark and trust the camouflage. Color also helps with temperature control: they can darken slightly to soak up morning sun faster, then pale out when it’s hot.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Australia

LC

2017