Reptile & Amphibian Forums

okay so just how many species of water dragons are there? i was curious so i decided to try and figure it out. i accounted for 6 different species is this all there is?????

1)Physignathus cocincinus-Chinese Water Dragon a.k.a. Green Water Dragon
2)Physignathus lesueurii lesueurii-Eastern Water Dragon a.k.a Australian Water Dragon
3)Physignathus lesueurii howitti-Gippsland Water Dragon
4)Lophognathus longirotris-Long Nosed Water Dragon
5)Lophognathus gilberti-Gilberts Water Dragon
6)Lophognathus temporalis-Striped Water Dragon.

Also would anyone know where to obtain any pictures of Gilbert's Water Dragon or the Long Nosed Water Dragon in specific.

thanks ofr your help
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CHONG188

Within Australia the is 1 species of Physignathus with 2 long recognized subspecies. P. lesuerii lesuerii and P. l. howitti.

What was lopognathus has now been classed as defunct. These species have now been put into the genus Amphibolurus. The current species within this are as follows:

A. burnsi (recently described from a previous population of A. gilberti)
A. gilberti.
A. longirostis.
A. muricatus.
A. nobbi coggeri.
A. nobbi nobbi.
A. norrisi.
A. temporalis.

As for photo search the current name and that should yield you with some results.

Regards,

Scott Eipper

Hi Scott,
Just a note on the Australian water dragons. I know it maty be a hard pill to swallow, but I still maintain the view that the Australian members of the genus Physignathus, do not in fact belong there. Instead I believe that they represent a distinct assemblage of species in their own right, quite separate from the Green Water Dragons (Physignathus sensu stricto) of south-east Asia. I have previously erected Intellagama for the Australian group, and although it has not met with acceptance as yet, I feel that it will be OK in due course. On the so-called subspecies howitii and lesueurii, well I still believe that are in fact different species, the area of overlap between the two being at the Shoalhaven River in NSW where I have seen no sign of hybridization; lesueurii also comprises at least three taxonomically distinct populations as well. Anyway best wishes

Richard Wells