Phrynocephalus mystaceus

Phrynocephalus mystaceus
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Iguania
Family:	Agamidae
Genus:	Phrynocephalus
Species:	P. mystaceus
Binomial name
	Phrynocephalus mystaceus; (Pallas, 1776)
Synonyms
	Lacerta mystacea Pallas, 1776

Phrynocephalus mystaceus, also known as the secret toadhead agama^[2] and toad-headed agama,^[1] is a species of agamid lizard. It is found in southern Russia, Kazakhstan, and northwestern China (Xinjiang) and southward to northern Iran, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.^[1]^[2]The most exciting feature of the toad-headed agamas is their defense mechanism. When threatened, they flatten their bodies and open their mouths wide, such that their bright-colored flaps open. This, along with continuous hissing, scares whatever predator they encounter.^[3]^[4]^[5]

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized:^[2]

Phrynocephalus mystaceus mystaceus (Pallas, 1776)
Phrynocephalus mystaceus khorasanus Solovyeva, Dunayev, Nazarov, Radjabizadeh & Poyarkov, 2018

Habitat

Phrynocephalus mystaceus is generally associated with unvegetated tops of large, high sand dunes and occurs at elevations of −45–1,000 m (−148–3,281 ft) above sea level.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Dujsebayeva, T.; Ananjeva, N.B.; Sattorov, T.; Nazarov, R.; Doronin, I.; Melnikov, D.; Shestopal, A.; Nuridjanov, D.; Tuniyev, B.; Aghasyan, A.; Orlov, N.L.; Tuniyev, S.; Anderson, S.; Shi, L.; Guo, X.; Wang, Y. (2019). "Phrynocephalus mystaceus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T157250A744631. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T157250A744631.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Phrynocephalus mystaceus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 19 January 2021.
^ Whiting, M. J., Noble, D. W. A., & Qi, Y. (2022, May 30). A potential deimatic display revealed in a lizard. OUP Academic. https://academic.oup.com/biolinnean/article/136/3/455/6595062?login=false
^ Solovyeva, E. N., Dunayev, E. N., Nazarov, R. A., Rajabizadeh, M., & Jr., N. A. P. (2018, April 5). Molecular and morphological differentiation of secret toad-headed Agama, phrynocephalus mystaceus, with the description of a new subspecies from Iran (Reptilia, Agamidae). ZooKeys. https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/20507/
^ Zheng, P., Liang, T., & Shi, L. (2024, September 30). Are toe fringes important for lizard burying in highly mobile sand? - frontiers in zoology. BioMed Central. https://frontiersinzoology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12983-024-00546-y

This lizard from family Agamidae article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[iucn_status_19_November_2021-1] Dujsebayeva, T.; Ananjeva, N.B.; Sattorov, T.; Nazarov, R.; Doronin, I.; Melnikov, D.; Shestopal, A.; Nuridjanov, D.; Tuniyev, B.; Aghasyan, A.; Orlov, N.L.; Tuniyev, S.; Anderson, S.; Shi, L.; Guo, X.; Wang, Y. (2019). "Phrynocephalus mystaceus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T157250A744631. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T157250A744631.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.

[RDB-2] Phrynocephalus mystaceus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 19 January 2021.

[3] Whiting, M. J., Noble, D. W. A., & Qi, Y. (2022, May 30). A potential deimatic display revealed in a lizard. OUP Academic. https://academic.oup.com/biolinnean/article/136/3/455/6595062?login=false

[4] Solovyeva, E. N., Dunayev, E. N., Nazarov, R. A., Rajabizadeh, M., & Jr., N. A. P. (2018, April 5). Molecular and morphological differentiation of secret toad-headed Agama, phrynocephalus mystaceus, with the description of a new subspecies from Iran (Reptilia, Agamidae). ZooKeys. https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/20507/

[5] Zheng, P., Liang, T., & Shi, L. (2024, September 30). Are toe fringes important for lizard burying in highly mobile sand? - frontiers in zoology. BioMed Central. https://frontiersinzoology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12983-024-00546-y

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