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Ctenophorus kartiwarru
Ctenophorus kartiwarru, commonly known as the Red-backed Sand Dragon, is a species of lizard from the family Agamidae. The species was discovered in 2023 as a split from the Mallee military dragon (Ctenophorus fordi).[1] DescriptionCtenophorus kartiwarru is a small lizard endemic to Australia that grows to about 3 in (76 mm) in length.[2] The maximum snout-vent length (SVL) is 54 and 52 mm (2.1 and 2.0 in) in males and females respectively.[3] They have relatively long tails and legs, tail length can be between 248 – 275 (% SVL) for males and between 248 – 264 (% SVL) for females, whereas hind leg length can be between 93 – 108 for males and 99 – 108 for females (% SVL).[3] They have between 12 and 16 femoral pores that go halfway to the knee.[3] The ventral side is white-coloured.[3] However, males have faint or absent black throat markings and a small, distinct chest patch that is often narrowly split down the middle.[3] Some females will have faint black throat and chest markings.[3] The chest markings may extend as a black stripe along the front of the upper arms.[3] The dorsal side is sandy-red with prominent pale dorsolateral stripes overlying blackish lateral blotches.[3] In males, the dorsolateral stripe is pale yellow, while in females it is whiter.[3] Additionally, there are small lateral speckles, matching the colour of the dorsolateral stripe, between the blackish lateral blotches[3] EtymologyThe red-backed sand dragon's specific name Ctenophorus kartiwarru is derived from the local Indigenous Australian Dieri language in the South Australian section of the species range.[2] The word kartiwarru is the local name for 'a red-backed lizard, about 3 inches long'.[2] TaxonomyThe red-backed sand dragon was only discovered in 2023 by Danielle Edwards and Mark Hutchinson.[3] It previously had been identified as a form of the Mallee military dragon (Ctenophorus fordi).[4] It is in the dragon family Agamidae, within the Ctenophorus maculatus complex.[1] Kartiwarru is the local Dieri word for 'a red-backed lizard about 3 inches long' used to describe the species.[5] RangeCtenophorus kartiwarru is found throughout central Australia, including northwest New South Wales, southwest Queensland and, east-central South Australia.[3] Specifically they have been found in the Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields (SSD) and Gawler (GAW) IBRA Bioregions, including within the Strzelecki Desert (SSD05), Torrens (GAW06) and Roxby (GAW07) sub-regions.[3] HabitatCtenophorus kartiwarru live in areas of sparse vegetation cover on inland soft sand dunes. The primary vegetation cover is sandhill cranegrass (Zygochloa paradoxa).[3] ConservationThe red-backed sand lizard is of least concern as it is common within its range.[3] References
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