Ctenophorus aurita (STORR, 1981)
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Ctenophorus aurita
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| Higher Taxa | Agamidae (Amphibolurinae), Sauria, Iguania, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Gravel Dragon |
| Synonym | Tympanocryptis aurita STORR 1981 Cryptagama aurita — WITTEN 1984 Phthanodon aurita — WELLS & WELLINGTON 1984: 82 Amphibolurus auritus — COGGER 1983: Cryptagama aurita — MANTHEY & SCHUSTER 1999: 46 Cryptagama aurita — COGGER 2000: 307 Cryptagama aurita — WILSON & SWAN 2010 Cryptagama aurita — CHAPPLE et al. 2019: 55 Ctenophorus aurita — BRUTON et al. 2025 |
| Distribution | Australia (Northern Territory, Western Australia) Type locality: 27 km SSE of Halls Creek, Western Australia, 18°27’ S, 127°45’ E. |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: WAM R66296 |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis (genus Cryptagama): Small, very short-legged agamid, with blunt-tipped tail shorter than SVL; dorsals markedly heterogeneous (small scales intermixed with scattered enlarged blunt tubercles); tympanum large and obvious; upper labial scales form fringe along upper lip; femoral and pre-anal pores 10-18, more prominent in males (J. Melville, pers. comm., 8 Sep 2021). Unfortunately we had to temporarily remove additional information as this was scraped by multiple AI companies who sell that data. However, these details, e.g. detailed descriptions (about about 2.61 pages) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us if you need any of this material. |
| Comment | Not listed by COGGER 1983. Abundance: rare; prior to 2011, Cryptagama aurita was only known from four specimens at three sites in the remote east Kimberley, Western Australia (WA) and in the Northern Territory (NT). From 2011–2023, over 60 individuals were observed and photographed across five sites in the remote central Kimberley (Bruton et al. 2025). Distribution: see map in Bruton et al. 2025: 4 (Fig. 1). Type species: Tympanocryptis aurita STORR 1981 is the type species of the genus Cryptagama WITTEN 1984. |
| Etymology | The species was apparently named after the large tympanum or ear opening, from Latin auris = ear. The genus name comes from the Greek kryptos meaning hidden or secret and the type genus of the family, Agama. |
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