Amphibolurus

The Amphibolurus lizards—Australia’s “tree dragons”—are quick, long-limbed agamids that split their time between trunks, branches, and the ground. You’ll spot the family look right away: a lean head, exposed ear, long tail, and a low line of little spines along the neck and back (a tiny dragon crest). All are Australian natives; together, they cover everything from coastal heath and open woodland to the dry interior. Think sun, scattered shrubs, and a good lookout perch—perfect for lizards that watch, wait, and dash.

What sets Amphibolurus apart is the blend of speed and show. These dragons are daytime hunters that warm up by basking, then sally out for beetles, ants, moths, and other small prey. They are famously agile—flush one from a log and it can run on two legs for a burst, tiny T. rex style, before vanishing around a stump. Many individuals perch partway up trunks like little sentries, a halfway-arboreal habit that suits their long limbs and balancing tail. Their colors are earthy—greys and browns broken by pale stripes—so they vanish against bark and leaf litter until they suddenly don’t. Among the genus, you’ll see the same toolkit repeated: strong hind legs for sprinting, a tail for balance (and visual signaling), and that neat, spinose crest that makes them look like pocket dragons.

Communication is where these lizards really shine. The Jacky dragon, the best-studied member, uses a signature routine of tail flicks, slow “arm-waves,” head bobs, and push-up body rocks to talk to neighbors—different combos for “back off,” “I’m not a threat,” and courtship. The slow arm-wave is a polite, submissive “I come in peace,” while the push-up rock reads as bold and assertive. Scientists have shown that the sequence order helps the message cut through a busy, windy background of moving leaves: a flick to get attention, then the precise moves that carry meaning.