View source for Rankinia

{{short description|Genus of reptiles in Australia}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Mountain dragon on hand.jpg
| image_caption = ''Rankinia diemensis''
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{cite iucn |author= Melville, J., Hutchinson, M., Clemann, N., Robertson, P. & Michael, D. |name-list-style=amp |year=2018 |title=''Rankinia diemensis'' |volume=2018 |article-number= e.T176219A83494457 | doi= 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T176219A83494457.en |access-date=29 March 2021}}</ref>
| taxon = Rankinia diemensis
| authority = [[Richard Walter Wells|Wells]] & [[Cliff Ross Wellington|Wellington]], 1984
| synonyms = ''Grammatophora muricata diemensis'' <small>[[John Edward Gray|Gray]], 1841</small>
| range_map = Rankinia diemensis distribution.png
}}

'''''Rankinia''''' is a genus of small [[agamid]] reptiles. As currently delineated, it is [[monotypic]], containing only '''''Rankinia diemensis''''' (Gray, 1841),<ref>{{NRDB genus |genus=Rankinia |date=4 August |year=2020}}</ref> also known as the '''mountain heath dragon''' or '''mountain dragon'''. It is [[endemic]] to [[Australia]].<ref name=RDB/>

==Distribution and habitat==
It occurs in the uplands of [[New South Wales]] and [[Victoria, Australia|Victoria]], as well as in [[Tasmania]], where it is the only native agamid.  Mountain dragons are found in dry [[woodland]]s and [[heath (habitat)|heath]]s with access to open areas for [[thermoregulation|sunning]] themselves.  They are [[oviparous]] and feed on [[ant]]s and other small [[invertebrate]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/wildlife/reptile/Tymdie.html |title=TPWS: Wildlife of Tasmania – Mountain Dragon |access-date=2020-08-04 |archive-date=2008-06-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612214123/http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/wildlife/reptile/Tymdie.html }}</ref><ref name=Cogger1979>Cogger, H.G. (1979). ''Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia''. Reed: Sydney. {{ISBN|0-589-50108-9}}</ref>

They do not climb very high, relying instead on camouflage to evade predators.<ref name="Griffiths"/>

==Description==
Their overall colour is grey to reddish brown, with two rows of lighter-coloured paravertebral stripes or blotches running down their backs. These stripes are deeply scalloped, so they appear like two series of blotches. They can have cream-coloured bellies. Individuals can grow up to 20&nbsp;cm in length, although the average length is somewhat smaller, with females typically growing larger than males. The average snout to base of tail length is 7.5 centimeters,<ref>{{cite web |title=Mountain Dragon |url=http://www.arod.com.au/arod/reptilia/Squamata/Agamidae/Rankinia/diemensis |website=Australian Reptile Online Database |access-date=11 April 2020}}</ref> but can be up to 9.<ref name="Museum Victoria Collections">{{cite web |title=Rankinia diemensis (Gray, 1841), Mountain Dragon |url=https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/species/8376 |website=Museum Victoria Collections |access-date=11 April 2020}}</ref> They have a row of enlarged spinose (spikey) scales on each side of the tail bases.

The mountain dragon appears similar to the [[jacky dragon]], but can be much redder, and the inside of its mouth is pink (compared to the yellow of the jacky dragon).<ref name="Griffiths">{{cite book|title=Reptiles of the Sydney Region| first=Ken| last=Griffiths| isbn=0-9590203-3-0| publisher=Three Sisters Publications Pty Ltd| year=1987| page=50}}</ref>

They breed in summer, laying 2–9 eggs in a burrow.<ref name="Museum Victoria Collections"/>

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name=RDB>{{NRDB species |genus=Rankinia |species=diemensis |accessdate=4 August 2020}}</ref>
}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q1943152 |from2=Q3061781 }}

[[Category:Agamidae]]
[[Category:Agamid lizards of Australia]]
[[Category:Monotypic lizard genera]]
[[Category:Endemic fauna of Australia]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Richard Walter Wells]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Cliff Ross Wellington]]