Rock Dragon

Rock Dragon

Psammophilus dorsalis

Silhouette: Michael Scroggie · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR Endemic
Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
at Jabalpur

In 3 days ~70% in a week ~90%

8 Verified sightings at Jabalpur
May Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Rock Dragon

The peninsular rock agama or South Indian rock agama (Psammophilus dorsalis) is a common species of agama found on rocky hills in south India. An allied species, Psammophilus blanfordanus, is found in the Eastern Ghats, but north of the range of this species.

This species of lizard has a large head that is elongated and depressed, with the cheeks swollen in adult males. The snout is longer than the diameter of the orbit (eye cavity). The upper head scales are unequal and smooth or obtusely keeled, the scales being larger on the sinciput (brow) than on the occiput. The canthus rostralis and supraciliary (brow) has a clear and sharp edge, two small separated spines or groups of spines above the ear are present or absent; the diameter of the tympanum is half or a little more than half that of the orbit; it has 10 to 13 upper and as many lower labial scales. The body is slightly flattened; dorsal scales are small, uniform, smooth, or feebly keeled in the adult, and strongly keeled in the young, all pointing backwards and upwards; the dorsal crest is reduced to a ridge of enlarged scales; ventral scales are as large as the dorsals, and smooth (keeled in the young); from... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Jabalpur 🇮🇳 India
~30%
2 Bengaluru 🇮🇳 India
~30%
3 Hyderabad 🇮🇳 India
~20%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

# Zoo / Centre Country
1 Zürich Zoo 🇨🇭 Switzerland In captivity

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Rock Dragon in Jabalpur?

Possible

About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Rock Dragon sighting in Jabalpur on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 4th most-seen of the 7 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Rock Dragon in Jabalpur?

May

In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Rock Dragon in Jabalpur on a given day, against under 5% in July, September and December, the lowest months. That is one of Jabalpur's driest months, with about 15 mm of rain against 410 mm in July.

What time of day is best to see a Rock Dragon?

Between 8 and 11 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Rock Dragon sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Jabalpur the best place to see a Rock Dragon?

Yes

Of the 3 cities where we can rate Rock Dragon sightings, Jabalpur has the highest daily chance: about 30%. Next come Bengaluru (India, about 30%) and Hyderabad (India, about 20%).

Where does the Rock Dragon sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Rock Dragon is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Jabalpur (8 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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