Komodo dragon collision between Australia and Southeast Asia allowed these larger varanids to move back into what is now the Indonesian archipelago, extending their range as far east as the island of Timor. The Komodo dragon was believed to have differentiated from its Australian ancestors 4 million years ago. However, recent fossil evidence from Queensland suggests the Komodo dragon actually evolved in Australia before spreading to Indonesia. Dramatic lowering of sea level during the last glacial period uncovered extensive stretches of continental shelf that the Komodo dragon colonised, becoming isolated in their present island range as sea levels rose afterwards. Extinct Pliocene
Jacky dragon Jacky dragon The jacky dragon ("Amphibolurus muricatus") is a type of lizard native to southeastern Australia. It was one of the first Australian reptiles to be named, originally described by English zoologist George Shaw in Surgeon-General John White’s "Journal of a Voyage to New South Wales", which was published in London in 1790. It is well known for its bright yellow mouth and well-developed vertebral crest, as well as the temperature-dependent sex determination of its offspring. Other common names include blood-sucker, stonewalker, and tree dragon. The jacky dragon, one of the 70 species of dragons (Agamidae) found in Australia, is