Reptiles & Amphibians
16. Frilled Lizard
With their giant neck frills and speedy two-legged sprint, frilled-neck lizards look like something straight out of a dinosaur movie!
These reptiles live in warm, dry forests and woodlands, spending much of their time in trees and only coming down to the ground to feed. Males are larger than females and can often be seen showing off to defend their territory or attract a mate. One way they do this is by displaying their impressive neck frills.
The frill is a large flap of skin around the neck, supported by long bones connected to the jaw. When threatened or trying to look impressive, the lizard opens its mouth wide, hisses, and snaps out the frill like an umbrella. This sudden burst of colour, along with a flash of bright yellow inside the mouth, is designed to startle predators and rivals. They mostly use their frills for defence, but males will also show them off during courtship or when competing with other males.
If the dramatic warning doesn’t work, frilled lizards can drop to the ground and take off running on just their back legs. By leaning their upper body back so the head balances over the hips, they stay upright while sprinting away at super speed, like tiny dinosaurs on the go!
Reptiles & Amphibians
16. Frilled Lizard
With their giant neck frills and speedy two-legged sprint, frilled-neck lizards look like something straight out of a dinosaur movie!
These reptiles live in warm, dry forests and woodlands, spending much of their time in trees and only coming down to the ground to feed. Males are larger than females and can often be seen showing off to defend their territory or attract a mate. One way they do this is by displaying their impressive neck frills.
The frill is a large flap of skin around the neck, supported by long bones connected to the jaw. When threatened or trying to look impressive, the lizard opens its mouth wide, hisses, and snaps out the frill like an umbrella. This sudden burst of colour, along with a flash of bright yellow inside the mouth, is designed to startle predators and rivals. They mostly use their frills for defence, but males will also show them off during courtship or when competing with other males.
If the dramatic warning doesn’t work, frilled lizards can drop to the ground and take off running on just their back legs. By leaning their upper body back so the head balances over the hips, they stay upright while sprinting away at super speed, like tiny dinosaurs on the go!
