Fun Frilled-neck Lizard Facts For Kids

The frilled lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii) is the quirkiest animal that you will come across in the forests of Australia. Its distinctive frills strike up when threatened like a mini dragon. It is also known as the frilled necked lizard. As they are arboreal in nature, they love spending their time on trees preying on insects to feed on. The color of their skin varies according to their environment often when they're hanging out on trees, their skin matches the barks. It can be quite tough to identify them! When they are relaxed, a thin layer of skin folds flat on their neck. They also have long tails. This frilled lizard is the only species belonging to the genus Chlamydosaurus. An interesting skill that the frilled dragon possesses is the ability to stand up and run on its hind legs!

If you like reading about animals facts, be sure to check out coral snake facts, or Vine snake facts

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What type of animal is a frilled-neck lizard?

The frilled lizard is a reptile that looks like a majestic baby dragon and is found in northern Australia and in New Guinea. They are pretty large for a lizard and when threatened or attacked, the extra layer of skin around their neck frills up and wards off the predators. They are referred to as the frilled dragon as well! Due to their distinctive features, people tend to keep them as exotic pets.

What class of animal does a frilled-neck lizard belong to?

The frill-necked lizard belongs to the class of Reptilia and the family of Agamidae. The scientific name of the frill-necked lizard is Chlamydosaurus kingii. They have four legs, scaly skin, a layer of skin that folds and lays flat on their body, and a long tail!

How many frilled-neck lizards are there in the world?

There is no knowledge regarding this species accurate population because their camouflaging abilities make it really hard to keep a proper count. However, their official conservation status is at Least Concern.

Where does a frilled-neck lizard live?

Frilled-neck lizard distribution can be seen in Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. Around Australia, this reptile is seen throughout Queensland. They can also be seen in the south islands of new guinea.

What is a frilled-neck lizard's habitat?

The frill-necked lizard prefers humid climates found in woodland savannas and tropical forests. They prefer the wet season over the dry. This also explains why they tend to be more active in wet seasons. They are often seen on trees blending in with them. These frill-necked lizards can use their hind legs efficiently to move up and down the trees pretty fast in short bursts of time. The scales in their frill allow them to contain moisture in warm temperatures. The frilled-neck lizard habitat consists of large trees too.

Who do frilled-neck lizards live with?

The frilled lizard is solitary and is by itself most of the time, except when they are breeding.

How long does a frilled-neck lizard live?

The frilled-neck lizard life varies according to its environment. A frilled lizard in wild will live up to nine years whereas those in captivity with proper care can live up to 20 years!

How do they reproduce?

Frilled lizards (Chlamydosaurus kingii) are oviparous, meaning that they lay eggs in order to reproduce. The mating season for these frilled lizards ranges from September to October. These lizards show off the frill around their neck to woo the female frilled lizards. They may even fight other frilled lizards while mating. Male frilled lizards are known to be territorial in nature. After conception has taken place, the female frilled lizard lays the eggs underground in a hole and ensures that it gets sunlight. The nests are often located under soft-sandy soil. The eggs incubate for around 70 days. The clutch size of eggs ranges from 4-13. However, the average number is eight. It's possible for the female lizard to lay two clutches of eggs.

Researchers have observed that the incubation temperature of eggs determines the sex of hatchlings! For instance, lower temperatures often indicate female hatchlings whereas temperatures above 84 degrees Fahrenheit indicate an equal number of male and female offspring.

What is their conservation status?

Their conservation status is at Least Concern. It has been difficult to obtain the exact population of this species as they are notoriously good at blending in with trees in their habitat! As far as the frilled-neck lizard range is concerned, this species has nothing to worry about.  

What do frilled-neck lizards look like?

The frilled-neck lizard has grayish-brown scales. It barely weighs around 1 lb (450 g). The frilled-neck lizard size is quite large as lizards aren't this long. They have claws which help them climb trees and hind legs too which help them walk! Their frill-necked body has a long tail which is often marked by a grey stripe at the tip.

How cute are they?

Frilled lizards resemble baby dragons. Their frill looks amusing to the human eye, that is if you are able to detect them on trees! Their majestic frills not only help them attract the attention of female frilled lizards but also maintain their body temperature. Since reptiles are cold-blooded animals, they need to keep their body temperature in check. Looks like the frilled lizards are doing just fine! Even the hatchling has a frill around its neck.

How do they communicate?

It's pretty uncommon for a frilled lizard to communicate in  vocal tones. They do however have communicate through their body language. They use "bluffing technique"' when they are at risk to trick the predator. They often "freeze" their body when under attack. During other times, they use their frills to confuse their predators, they flare up their frills and hiss. Their frills measure up to 12 in (30 cm) in diameter.

How big is a frilled-neck lizard?

The frilled lizard is quite large compared to other lizards like the Lava lizard or Caiman lizard.

How fast can a frilled-neck lizard move?

The frilled neck lizard is quite quick on its hind legs. These creatures are much faster than other lizards like the Gila monsters. It can travel up to 30 mph (48 kph). Since they are arboreal, they spend most of their time on trees. These lizards run on their hind legs when threatened, which is why they are known for their bipedal locomotion. You might think they are riding a bicycle! They can move around on all four legs, as well as use just two legs!

How much does a frilled-neck lizard weigh?

Although these lizards are large, they weigh less than 1 lb (450 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no specific names for males and females of this species.

What would you call a baby frilled-neck lizard?

Their babies are call hatchlings. These hatchlings as well as the juvenile frilled lizards are usually an easy target for birds of prey.

What do they eat?

The frilled neck lizard diet consists of small mammals, invertebrates, small lizards, insects, ants. Their hatchlings often feed on termites and ants.

Are they poisonous?

One might be threatened by these majestic reptiles however these are not venomous at all. Apart from the creatures included in their diet, rest are safe, including you!

Would they make a good pet?

Yes, many people keep frilled necked lizards as exotic pets. These lizards are pretty hard to find. As long as the caretaker provides them proper food and keeps them at the required temperature, they make great pets!

Do frilled-neck lizards bite?

These lizards are not harmful to humans at all. They don't bite. Their frills may seem alarming to the viewer but they only do that because they are feeling threatened. Otherwise, these reptiles are often calm, hanging out by themselves during the day as they are diurnal.

Are frilled neck lizards dangerous?

No, frilled neck lizards do not have venom in them and they don't attack humans. Unlike other species of lizards such as the Heloderma (Gila monster) and the beaded lizard. These two are the world's only venomous lizards. This species is found mainly in the southwestern United States.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these Burmese python facts and yellow anaconda facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Frilled lizard coloring pages.