Ctenophorus decresii (DUMÉRIL & BIBRON, 1837)
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Ctenophorus decresii
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| Higher Taxa | Agamidae (Amphibolurinae), Sauria, Iguania, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Tawny Crevice-dragon, Tawny Dragon |
| Synonym | Grammatophora decresii DUMÉRIL & BIBRON 1837: 472 Agama decresiensis FITZINGER 1843: 83 (nom. subst. pro G. decresii) Ctenophorus decresii — FITZINGER 1843: 83 Amphibolurus decresii — BOULENGER 1885: 385 Amphibolurus decresii — COGGER 1983: 110 Amphibolurus decresii — GIBBONS & LILLYWHITE 1981 Ctenophorus decresii — MANTHEY & SCHUSTER 1999: 47 Ctenophorus decresii — COGGER 2000: 312 Ctenophorus decresii — WILSON & SWAN 2010 Ctenophorus decresii — CHAPPLE et al. 2019: 59 |
| Distribution | Australia (South Australia) Type locality: Kangaroo Island, South Australia. |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Syntypes: MNHN-RA 6545, MNHN-RA 6545A, Ile Decrès, SA, collected Péron & Lesueur. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis (genus): Very small to moderately large agamids with body slightly compressed to strongly depressed; tympanum exposed (except in C. maculosus); a series of enlarged tectiform scales sweeping up in a flat S-curve from below eye to above ear; and mostly with (1) dorsals small, their keels directed back towards midline; (2) numerous femoral and pre-anal pores, each located between 4 scales (anterior usually largest; (3) alignment of pre-anal pores directed forwards towards midline; and (4) black markings on breast and throat of males (STORR 1982). |
| Comment | Synonymy: COGGER 1983 listed modestus as a synonym of decresii but Dong et al. 2021 revalidated Amphibolurus modestus AHL 1926, which also restricted decresii to the southern populations. Not listed in COGGER 1983, but he lists Amphibolurus decresiensis (in error ?). Status of the latter name unclear. Distribution: Not in NSW; all NSW records are now Ctenophorus mirrityana. See Dong et al. 2021 for a map in South Australia. Type species: Grammatophora decresii DUMÉRIL & BIBRON 1837 is the type species of the genus Ctenophorus FITZINGER 1843. Grammatophora DUMERIL & BIBRON 1837:468 is a nomen substitutum pro Gemmatophora KAUP 1827; non Grammatophora STEPHENS, a nomen nudum and a genus of Lepidoptera). Variation: Ctenophorus decresii exhibits remarkable variation in coloration both within and among populations, inlcuding sexual dichromatism (Houston, 1974; Teasdale et al., 2013; McLean et al., 2013). Ecology: for a phylogenetic analysis of ecological adaptations in Ctenophorus see Tallowin et al. 2019, Gibbons 1981. Amphibolurus decresii is found on rocks which are predominantly pinkish yellow, whereas A. vadnappa is found on rocks which are dark reddish brown Habitat: saxicolous. Group: the Ctenophorus decresii complex consists of four closely related, rock- inhabiting species: C. decresii (Duméril & Bibron 1837), C. fionni (Procter 1923), C. tjantjalka Johnston 1992, and C. vadnappa (Houston 1974). All species are sexually dimorphic with cryptically coloured females and larger, brightly coloured males which perform conspicuous courtship and territorial behaviour (Gibbons, 1979). Overall body form is highly conserved within the group and reflects adaptation to rocky habitats; all species have dorsoventrally flattened heads and bodies (less so in C. tjantjalka) and long hindlimbs (Houston & Hutchinson, 1998). While females and juveniles are similar in appearance among species, male coloration is an obvious distinguishing feature between species (Houston, 1974), and is likely to be an important social signal within the C. decresii complex (Osborne, 2005; Stuart-Fox & Johnston, 2005, McLean et al. 2013). |
| Etymology | named after an island, “Ce Grammatophore a été trouvé par Péron et Lesueur, dans l'île de Decrès, en Australasie” (Duméril & Bibron, 1837: 474). |
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