Rankinia adelaidensis
Encyclopedia
Rankinia adelaidensis is a species of Heath Dragon, small Agamid reptiles, occurring in southern regions of Australia
.
These dragon
s are pale in colour, usually grey-brown, although males develop a reddish hue in the breeding season. They are timid in their behaviour, and will only briefly break from the cover of vegetation. They have a burrowing behaviour that is unique in Australian dragons, they will cover all but their snouts with a shuffling action, burying themselves in the sand. This behaviour may help the dragons to regulate their temperature.
, subspecies of this taxon have also been described and published. The species distribution in Southwest Australia is represented by two subspecies
of Rankinia adelaidensis; one at the western coast, another along the southeast coast of the region. The common name for these subspecies is Western and Eastern Heath Dragon.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
These dragon
Dragon (disambiguation)
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or otherwise reptilian traits.Dragon may also refer to:-Literature:* Dragon , a 1990 adventure novel by Clive Cussler...
s are pale in colour, usually grey-brown, although males develop a reddish hue in the breeding season. They are timid in their behaviour, and will only briefly break from the cover of vegetation. They have a burrowing behaviour that is unique in Australian dragons, they will cover all but their snouts with a shuffling action, burying themselves in the sand. This behaviour may help the dragons to regulate their temperature.
Classification of species
This species is contained by the genus RankiniaRankinia
Rankinia, commonly known as Heath Dragons, is a genus containing three species of small agamid reptiles, found in Australia.These dragons occur in heathlands, sandplains, and wooded country in southern regions of Australia. They are pale in colour, usually grey-brown, although males develop a...
, subspecies of this taxon have also been described and published. The species distribution in Southwest Australia is represented by two subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of Rankinia adelaidensis; one at the western coast, another along the southeast coast of the region. The common name for these subspecies is Western and Eastern Heath Dragon.
- Rankinia adelaidensis adelaidensis
- Rankinia adelaidensis chapmani