Movement-based signalling by four species of dragon lizard (family Agamidae) from the Kimberley region of Western Australia

Communication signals underpin the social lives of animals, from species recognition to mate selection and territory defense. Animal are diverse in structure between within species, with diversity reflecting interacting factors shared evolutionary history, constraints imposed on senders receivers ecological context which signalling takes place. The dragon lizards Australia (family Agamidae) known for their movement-based visual displays useful models how ecology influences behaviour. However, we know little about communication strategies many species. Our aim here was provide new knowledge some these focusing north-west Western Australia. We filmed within-species pairwise interactions Diporiphora superba, D. bennetti, sobria Ctenophorus isolepis isolepis. describe quantify first time push-up by superba C. tail waving bennetti. Only did not generate signals. have confirmed that more engage such behaviour than previously reported, but further work is required document full repertoire implications our discussed signal structure, function environmental context.