The frilled lizard is a dramatic agamid lizard of northern Australia and New Guinea, instantly recognizable for its spectacular pleated neck frill that can spread to 30 cm in diameter when the animal is alarmed. This remarkable display — accompanied by an open-mouthed hiss and bipedal running stance — is primarily a bluffing defense; the lizard is harmless to animals larger than its insect prey. Frilled lizards are bipedal runners that sprint on their hind legs at full speed with the frill retracted, looking remarkably like miniature dinosaurs.
About the Frilled Lizard
Chlamydosaurus kingii
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💡 Fun Facts
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The neck frill can expand to 30 cm across — nearly half the lizard's total body length — in a fraction of a second.
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When frightened, frilled lizards run bipedally on their hind legs at full speed, looking remarkably like a miniature theropod dinosaur.
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The frill is supported by elongated cartilaginous hyoid bones that fan out when special muscles contract.
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Frilled lizards spend most of their time motionless and camouflaged head-down on tree trunks, invisible against the bark.
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Males use frill displays not just defensively but also in territorial and courtship contests against rival males.
📍 Where to Find This Animal
Habitat Types:
Tropical Savanna & Woodland
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