Diporiphora lalliae Storr, 1974

MELVILLE, JANE, DATE, KATIE SMITH, HORNER, PAUL & Doughty, Paul, 2019, Taxonomic revision of dragon lizards in the genus Diporiphora (Reptilia: Agamidae) from the Australian monsoonal tropics, Memoirs of Museum Victoria 78, pp. 23-55 : 42-43

Diporiphora lalliae Storr, 1974

Common name. Northern deserts dragon.

Figure 16 , Tables 3, 4

Diporiphora lalliae Storr, G.M. 1974 . Agamid lizards of the genera Caimanops , Physignathus and Diporiphora in Western Australia and Northern Territory. Records of the Western Australian Museum 3: 121–146 [138]. Type data: holotype – WAM R23020, Langey Crossing, WA [17° 39' S, 123° 34' E].

Diagnosis. Body size moderately large (to 62 mm SVL) with very long tail (2.6–3.4 × SVL). Gular, post-auricular and scapular folds present. Small scales in axilla but usually not granular. Homogeneous dorsal scales between pale dorsolateral lines that usually lack raised scales in outer row, providing little demarcation between dorsal and lateral scales. Pre-cloacal pores 4; femoral pores 0.

Description of holotype. Male; 62 mm SVL; 152 mm tail length. Medium-large Diporiphora with long tail and long limbs. One canine on either side of upper jaw. Gular fold present. Strong scapular and post-auricular folds. Dorsal scales homogeneous, relatively large and strongly keeled. At the shoulder, dorsal scales are raised and strongly keeled (but not enlarged) in a longitudinal series of paravertebral and dorsolateral scales that fade by midbody. Scales on flanks homogeneous. Single white spinose scale at back of head sitting on ventral end of post-auricular fold, lacks spinose scales limbs or tail. Small scales in axilla but not granular. Ventral scales strongly keeled. Pre-cloacal pores 4; femoral pores 0.

Dorsum strongly patterned. Wide grey vertebral stripe (~4 scales wide at middle of dorsum), extending from back of head onto base of tail. Prominent pale dorsolateral stripes from shoulder to mid-dorsum, fading into background patterning; these scales form the enlarged longitudinal row of dorsolateral scales at the shoulder. Six dark transverse bands between head and pelvis, approximately the same width as the pale background. Head relatively plain with little patterning, labials similar colour to rest of head but have faint pale line between eye and ear. Dark smudge on posterior of tympanum absent. Flanks pale in colour, similar to dorsum. Lateral stripe between axilla and groin absent. Dark patch in axilla absent. Arms with faint dark banding. Strong well-defined alternating light and dark bands on legs; dark bands on tail, continuing to near end of tail, with dark bands being a similar width to the light bands. Ventral surface white and unpatterned.

Variation. 49–62 mm SVL; 130–194 mm tail length. Very long tail, ranging from 2.7–3.4 × SVL. Gular fold always present, although weak in some individuals. Scapular fold strong and post-auricular fold usually strong, although weak in some individuals. No enlarged spinose scales above tympanum or along post-auricular fold, although the latter may have several slightly enlarged scales. Very low nuchal crest. Outer raised trailing edge of scales on outer row of dorsolateral stripes usually absent, but in some individuals, the trailing edge of scales are weakly raised, particularly over shoulder, providing weak demarcation between dorsal and lateral surface. Pre-cloacal pores 4; femoral pores 0.

Dorsal patterning variable from strongly patterned to little patterning. In strongly patterned individuals, there are 6–8 wide, dark brown transverse bars between shoulders and pelvis, intersected by a wide grey vertebral stripe; pale dorsolateral stripes from neck and usually extending onto tail. At the shoulder, these dorsolateral stripes consist of an enlarged longitudinal row of scales. Usually no patterning on the head, but in some individuals a white stripe between the eye and ear. In more plain individuals, dark transverse bars faint or absent, and vertebral stripe often absent. Pale dorsolateral stripes from neck to tail usually present, even in unpatterned animals. Dark bands on tail, continuing to near tip. Usually well-defined alternating light and dark bands on upper and lower legs. Dark spot in axillary region absent and flanks usually pale, but some individuals have dark lateral spot above and slightly posterior to shoulder. Ventrum plain.

Distribution and ecology. The distribution of D. lalliae spans the northern extent of the arid zone along the western deserts, from the southern Kimberley in WA to the far west of Queensland. It extends into the southern reaches of the AMT but does not occur in the central arid zone as occasionally depicted (e.g. Cogger, 2014).

This species occurs in a variety of habitats from savannah woodlands and grasslands to arid habitats. It is a generalist species that is found in many habitats, often seen perching on small rocks, termite mounds or clumps of earth.

Comparison to other species. Diporiphora lalliae is sympatric with D. magna , D. gracilis sp. nov. and D. granulifera sp. nov. in the northern parts of its range, occurring in similar habitats and is superficially similar in appearance. However, D. lalliae can be distinguished from these species by the presence of a gular fold, which is unique in the D. bilineata species group ( Table 2). The distribution of D. lalliae also overlaps with D. sobria , from which it can be distinguished in having single canine teeth on each side of upper jaw and lacking femoral pores. In the southern Kimberley region, D. lalliae can be distinguished from D. pindan in having a gular fold and strong post-auricular and scapular folds.

Remarks. This species has previously been confused with numerous other species owing to its generalised appearance. Phylogenetic work has confirmed that it is a member of the D. bilineata species group ( Smith et al., 2011) but is unique in this group due to the presence of a gular fold.

Figures

Figure 16. Diporiphora lalliae: a, adult male, Three Ways, Northern Territory (photo: S. Wilson); b, holotype – WAM R23020, Langley Crossing, Western Australia.