Tympanocryptis rustica MELVILLE, CHAPLIN, HIPSLEY, SARRE, SUMNER & HUTCHINSON, 2019
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Tympanocryptis rustica
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| Higher Taxa | Agamidae (Amphibolurinae), Sauria, Iguania, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Tennant Creek Pebble Dragon |
| Synonym | Tympanocryptis rustica MELVILLE, CHAPLIN, HIPSLEY, SARRE, SUMNER & HUTCHINSON 2019: 28 |
| Distribution | Australia (Northern Territory) Type locality: Warrego Road, N of Tennant Creek, 3 km W of Stuart Highway, Northern Territory, 19°3505700 S, 134°0903700 E. |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype. NMV D74671, adult male. Collected by J. Melville and A. O’Grady, September 2009. Paratypes. NMV D74688, Warrego Road, N of Tennant Creek, approximately 12 km W of Stuart Highway, Northern Territory; 19°3303100 S, 134°0601200 E, female; D74670, D74672, D74684, Warrego Road, N of Tennant Creek, 3 km W of Stuart Highway, Northern Territory, 19°3505700 S, 134°0903700 E, adult males; D74693-94, Binns Road, 1 km W of turnoff to Whistleduck Creek, Northern Territory, 20°2801800 S, 134°4605000 E, adult males; SAMA R38823, Tennant Creek Rubbish Dump, Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, 19°390 S, 134°110 E, female; R53990, Tennant Creek Rubbish Dump, Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, 19°3903500 S, 134°1003500 E, juvenile. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: A species of Tympanocryptis with rostral scale separated from the canthus rostralis, nasal scale extending dorsally across the canthus and bordered below by enlarged scales, no lateral neck fold, keeled dorsal head scales, enlarged dorsal spinous scales roughly aligned longitudinally, keeled ventrals but smooth throat scales and both sexes weakly patterned or patternless dorsally, and white ventrally. |
| Comment | Habitat. Occurs on arid stone deserts or loams with scattered stones and spinifex grass (Triodia spp.) associated with desert ranges. Has been observed perching on small stones in the open and fleeing into nearby spinifex grass when alarmed. Will also freeze in the open when alarmed, its appearance closely matching and blending with the pebbles-strewn ground surface in a similar manner to other members of the pebble earless dragon group (Melville et al. 2019: 29). Distribution: see map in Melville et al. 2019: 6 (Fig. 1: species E) |
| Etymology | Named after Latin rustica, meaning simple or plain, alluding to the uniform coloration of these weakly patterned dragons. The word is also an echo of the English word rusty that also describes the predominant dorsal colour in life. |
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