Amphibolurus muricatus (Jacky Lizard)

Body colour is grey with light pale grey or white body stripes and tail bands. Mouth lining yellow and body scales rough. It grows to 120 mm SVL. The similar looking nobbi dragon has a pinkish mouth lining and more uniform body scales and juvenile eastern bearded dragons have spiny ‘beards’. In the region its is predominantly found south of the Murray River east but occasionally from Nail Can Hill in Albury. The jacky lizard employs a ‘sit and wait’ foraging tactic and is commonly seen perching on low branches or tree stumps. It scans the surrounding environment for a suitable meal which might include grasshoppers or beetles.  When a prey item is detected, the jacky lizard will jump off its perch and quickly chase it. Once it has consumed the prey, it returns to the same perch and signals to other lizards of the same species by waving its arm in the air. It also communicates by head bobbing which serves to reduce territorial disputes between neighbours. The jacky lizard can change body colour depending on air temperature and stress levels. Within minutes it can change from being dark-grey and completely patternless to light-grey with bold black and white stripes and blotches.