6 days ago
‘Hidden dragon' detected in remote region of Australia for first time in decades
There had not been a confirmed sighting of Ctenophorus aurita, an elusive lizard named the 'hidden dragon,' in decades. Before 2011, only four had ever been seen.
Now, thanks to tissue samples from suspected sightings, researchers have confirmed the presence of the 'extremely rare' lizard in one of the world's most remote regions in Australia, according to a June 3 study published in the Australian Journal of Taxonomy.
More than 60 individuals were were observed or photographed throughout northwestern Australia's Kimberley region between 2011 and 2023, and their confirmed presence in the new locations more than triples the species' known range, according to researchers.
The small hidden dragon, about an inch and a half long, is a master of disguise and utilizes a defense tactic called pebble mimicry, the study said.
'Several individuals were observed running a short distance before crouching and pulling their limbs into their body to expertly mimic a pebble,' researchers said.
Because it 'easily eludes detection,' researchers said it is unlikely that the species is 'genuinely rare.'
The species is described as having a small, rotund body with a rough texture, a short tail and a small, 'extremely blunt' head.
The hidden dragon was first discovered in 1979 when two individuals were found in Wolf Creek Meteor Crater, or Kandimalal, in the eastern Kimberley, according to the study.
Five months later, a third specimen was found about 50 miles north. The fourth and final specimen before the species' long hiatus from scientific record was in 1984, about 250 miles northeast from the other three localities, according to the study.
Researchers said the hidden dragon is likely not at risk of extinction given it inhabits common ecosystems, such as rocky areas, across a range of about 19,000 square miles of very remote territory.
The discovery provides 'significant insight into the distribution and ecology' of the species, and the evolution of Australian dragon lizards more broadly, according to the study.
The research team included Melissa Bruton, Jane Melville, Joanna Sumner, Joe Porter, Stephen Mahony and Paul Doughty.
