The Australian water dragon is a large diurnal lizard.
There are two main types of water dragons. The first type is the Chinese water dragon, or Phygnathus cocincinus, which is native to Asia. It lives in Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and Burma. This lizard is also found in parts of India and China. The second type is the Australian Water Dragon, or Phygnathus lesueurii, which is native to Australia.
There are two types of Australian Water Dragons that live in forested areas in eastern Australia.
Physignathus lesueurii is subdivided into Physignathus lesueurii lesueurii, also known as the eastern water dragon, and Physignathus lesueurii howitti, the Gippsland water dragon. Both types of Australian water dragons live in the forests of eastern Australia. They are the same size and similar in color, with green or gray bodies and dark stripes. Gippsland lizards can usually be identified by the black, yellow, and orange stripes on their throats, while eastern reptiles have black bands on their heads.
Water dragons are large diurnal lizards. This means that they are active during the day and rest at night. These reptiles do not live in water, despite their aquatic-sounding name; they mostly live in trees and bushes near large watercourses so they can hide in foliage or jump into water to escape predators. Their size and speed keep them safe from most animals, but they can fall prey to large snakes, mammals, and birds. They can run and swim quickly and can stay submerged for 30 minutes to hide from predators.
Male water dragons are on average 0.9 meters long and weigh about 1 kg. Females are smaller and usually reach a length of about 0.6 meters (2 feet). The tails of these reptiles are so long that their slender bodies are only a third of their total length. These lizards are omnivorous, with a diet consisting of fruits, leaves, fish, insects, lizards, and small rodents.
After hibernating in winter, reptiles reproduce in spring. The females dig holes in soft soil in sunny places and lay between six and 18 eggs. They cover the eggs to hide them from predators. The pups spend the first part of their lives in their birth den before they grow up and venture outside.
Chinese water dragons are also known as Asian water dragons and green water dragons. Most Asian water dragons are bright green with turquoise stripes, making them more colorful than their Australian cousins. Both types of lizards have become popular pets as they are quite docile and rarely bite.