# dragons/monitor from the channel country, QLD



## moloch05 (Feb 18, 2008)

My son and I saw this incredible monitor on our trip in November, 2006. It was the most brightly coloured monitor that I have ever encountered. I have trouble separating Yellow-spotted Monitors (_Varanus panoptes_) from Gould's Monitors (_V. gouldi_) but I assume that this lizard is a yellow-spotted due to its large size.






















We found it in this habitat:





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Central Netted Dragons (_Ctenophorus nuchalis_) were the most common lizard that we encountered during the day. These lizards behaved quite strangely. They were easy to approach on the road but extremely wary when standing on something natural such as a branch or termite mound. They were the most conspicuous late in the day when the temperatures had cooled a little. 

Here are a couple of photos of the habitat where these dragons were numerous. 










... the dragons





































We saw Central Bearded Dragons (_Pogona vitticeps_) on a couple of occasions. This juvenile was found in a spinifex clump at night.






This adult lived on a pile of concrete blocks in the middle of a clay pan. 












I saw Burns' Dragon (_Amphibolurus burnsi_) in trees along this watercourse but they always fled to cover before I could take a photo.






I was really pleased to see these dragons (_Tympanocryptis tetraporiphora_) standing like this. I have read of this behaviour before but this was the first time that I observed it in the field. The lizards stand so that their white bellies face the sun and reflect some of the light. The were doing this at noon one day when the temperature was already a searing 40C. 











These dragons lived on clay pans.











... sometimes the dragons were found on the road at night. Most in October seemed to be in the process of shedding.













This lizard was identified on another forum as a _Tympanocryptis intima_, another of the three species of _Tympanocryptis_ that live in this area.







These cute little marsupials were common on the road at night. I think that they were Fat-tailed Dunnarts. Sometimes, they would just sit like this and would ignore the flashing camera.






Regards, 
David


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## Kirby (Feb 18, 2008)

awsome shots. 

i like the standign up one. dragons, well beardies absorb the D3 and uv mostly throguh their beards and chest. but i would think he's just sun bakign and mucking around. awsoem shots. congradulations..!!


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## anguskennedy (Feb 18, 2008)

David, ive been loving the series of photos, they are top notch. 

Its really good how youve been showing not only photos of the animals, but the environment you found them in too - very interesting.

The shots of that one standing up are awesome!


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## dragon lady (Feb 18, 2008)

Totally awesome!


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## ben1200 (Feb 18, 2008)

fantastic pictures


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## ryanharvey1993 (Feb 18, 2008)

awsome pics love the beardies and the dunnart


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## JKretzs613 (Feb 26, 2008)

*Hello*

Hello,

Great pictures!! Thanks for posting them!! They are awesome!!

Tracie


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