Identification: Water Dragons in Australia can be up to 1 metre,
with long powerful legs and claws. Their tail forms 2/3 of their
length and is almost all muscle. It is laterally compressed to
help act like an oar when swimming. The Water Dragon has a
nuchal crest – a central row of enlarged spikey spines at the
back of the head. These spikes continue down the spine,
decreasing in size to the base of the tail. At the tail the
spines divide into two rows. The Water Dragon’s upper body is a
grey-green with cream and black transverse bands on the body and
tail. Underneath the body is creamy brown-grey. They have loose
folds of skin under the jaw, giving them an almost Bearded
Dragon appearance. Subspecies differences: The Eastern Water
Dragon (Physignathus lesueurii lesueurii) has a dark stripe from
ear to eye, that the Gippsland Water Dragon (Physignathus
lesueurii howittii) lacks. The Eastern Water Dragon male has a
red flush on its chest and darker bands. The Gippsland Water
Dragon male has an olive-grey ches