These lizards were a perfect match for the red sands and boulders in their habitat. This one was a hatchling, only about three inches long including the tail.

Here is a complete list of the reptiles and frogs I saw on this trip to Australia.

Ring-tailed dragons abounded on the dry rock formations above Kings Canyon. They reminded me very much of the collared lizards of the U.S. They were nearly exactly the same shape and size, and each species is often found perched on the vantage spot of a boulder. Both species, when perceiving a threat, tend to crouch down as a first line of defense, and then race away if the threat gets closer, often on hind legs only.