Ctenophorus nuchalis

The Ctenophorus nuchalis is an agamid of 25-28 cm, of which more than a half belong to the tail, frequent in the open and arid environments of western and central Australia. The elegant mimetic livery is formed by a dark lattice on clear reddish brown background. The legs are done to run and to dig even 6-8 dens per individual in dominant and strategic sites, often with a disguised entry to rapidly escape the predators or to escape the heat and the cold. Like their African relatives, these members of the vast family of the Agamidae communicate with each other with characteristic ritualized movements of the head and legs for delimiting the hunting territory. They ambush the insects but the 25% of their diet is formed by buds and small flowers. The females generally lay 2 to 6 eggs and in only 5-6 months the young reach the sexual maturity with a life expectancy of 2-4 years © Giuseppe Mazza