Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all! I've been a lurker here for awhile, and posted a couple of times, since I own a similar species - Japalura splendida..... well, at the last herp show, I purchased a nice looking mountain horned dragon. The dealer, of course, didn't know a specific species, but said that he had 2 of them, and the larger male was a beautiful bright green. Mine is the smaller male, and is a very light tan - although the dealer said when threatened by the larger male, the smaller one's head turned green for awhile. I haven't noticed any color changes yet.

He apparently isn't an A. capra, due to the large set of spines above the eye, and the almost-as-long spines on the occiput. The nuchal and dorsal spines are also fairly long, with only a small gap between... my guess would be armata, but all of the pictures I've seen of them show very strong markings and colors....

Mine is fairly uniformly tan, there is a darker slash on the shoulder, but it doesn't form the distinct cross shown on crucigera.... in front of the dark slash is a much lighter color, cream verging on white. Not particularly dark around the eyes. He has a small throat pouch. Spines are longer and look different than those of lepidogaster (sp?) Just how variable are these guys?

I know - I need to post a pic, but my home computer died, and it will be awhile before I can post any..... Does anyone have any guesses based on the description? Armata or crucigera?

As for care, I feel pretty good, since I've been reading this group *before* I got him, and the Japaluras are from the same habitat, etc. The dealer was feeding the dragon on superworms and nightcrawlers. He had a nice round belly when I got him, and he's been chowing down on nightcrawlers. So far so good!

Sorry so long - thanx in advance!

Lisa

I have no idea, as to the particulars of your breed
Sound quite a bit like my 2 surviving Babies, bought as Armatas, but no second set of horns yet
They DO have the orange on the breast area, and very light bellies (compaired to my other adult) and are pretty brown in color, one has much stronger markings than the other, and the little female I had that died had NO markings at all on her, and was QUITE green
God luck, and enjoy, these guys are great
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Elizabeth (ecb)

Make this world a better and more beautiful place that You have been in it
*Edward W Bok*

Elizabeth, I am not sure that the horns on the armata will grow in later. From what I have experienced with my capra the horns and spines all start developing at the same time. If the horns behind the eye is already well developed I would say that you have capra. My capra also have the orange on the throat and light tan belly.
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Marcia - FroggieB Dragons
www.froggieb.com/MHDHome.html

first, are you positive it is a male? With armata the male is green and the female is brown. Any I have seen pictures of do have very bold patterns but I have not seen enough to determine if this is consistent or if they vary as much as the capra do.

You are right that if it has the second set of horns it is not capra. The crucigera and lepidogaster both have a large gap between the nuchal and dorsal spines so this also points to armata. Also, armata has a small throat pouch.

Since we haven't yet raised any armata from juvenile any color changes through development are unknown. The armata can have a cross like crucigera but doesn't always. In the pictures I have seen they do have a black slash over the shoulder.

The armata has the longest spines/horns of the 4 known species and I am guessing this is what you have. If this one is armata you may not want to keep your other 2 dragons with it. Armata can be aggressive and it is recommended that you keep a pair to avoid aggression problems.

There is some possibility that this is none of the above as we have seen some really strange looking animals that don’t fit any of the descriptions. I believe that there are probably several other unidentified species out there.

Post a pic when you can, I would love to see him.
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Marcia - FroggieB Dragons
www.froggieb.com/MHDHome.html

Thanks Marcia! My dragon does appear to have hemipenal bulges, unless males are really much more pronounced compared to other agamids I've dealt with. As soon as I get a computer, I'll post pix, so maybe we can figure it out. I'll keep in mind armata's aggressive tendencies. I have your Reptiles article, and checked out your website - especially the pix of the different species. "He" is doing well - so far so good! I'll keep you all updated.

Lisa