THE REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS OF AUSTRALIA - DRAGONS (AGAMAS)

AUSTRALIAN REPTILE PHOTOS AND INFORMATION
Covering Australian Snakes, Lizards, Crocodiles, Turtles, and Amphibians

PLEASE SHARE THIS PAGE

KARTIWARRUI SAND DRAGON
or Red-backed Sand Dragon
Ctenophorus kartiwarrui
Note that several new species including the Eastern Mallee Dragon (Ctenophorus spinodomus) and the Tuniluki or Murray Mallee Sand Dragon (Ctenophorus tuniluki) and this species have been split from the Mallee Military Dragon (Ctenophorus fordi)

Kartiwarrui or Red-backed Sand Dragon (Ctenophorus kartiwarrui), previously called a Mallee Military Dragon (Ctenophorus fordi) by David Cook Wildlife Photography
(Photographed at Sturt National Park - NSW) is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 .

Approximate distribution of the (Ctenophorus kartiwarrui) Kartiwarrui or Red-backed Sand Dragon

The table belows shows how Ctenophorus fordi was split into multiple species!

COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME DISTRIBUTION
* Mallee Military Dragon Ctenophorus fordi WA (Distribution reduced 2023)

Ibiri Sand Dragon (new Species 2023) Ctenophorus ibiri*
(split from Ctenophorus fordi)
SA (Eyre Peninsula)

Kartiwarrui or Red-backed Sand Dragon (new Species 2023) Ctenophorus kartiwarrui*
(split from Ctenophorus fordi) SA, NSW, Qld

* Eastern Mallee Dragon Ctenophorus spinodomus (also known as Ctenophorus hawkeswoodi)
(split from Ctenophorus fordi) NSW, SA

Tjakalpa or Ghost Dragon (new Species 2023) Ctenophorus tjakalpa
(split from Ctenophorus fordi) SA, WA (Great Victoria Desert)

Tuniluki or Murray Mallee Sand Dragon (new Species 2023) Ctenophorus tuniluki
(split from Ctenophorus fordi)
SA,Vic
(South and East of the Murray River)

LINKS OF INTEREST

The tjakalpa, kartiwarrui, ibiri and tuniluki sand dragon lizards are new to science
ABC NEWS

Four newly discovered sand dragons given Indigenous names from South Australian regions
SA Police News

Click here for more information about Australian Dragons (Agamas)

RECOMMENDED AMAZON BOOKS
(Affiliate commission earned)

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

Visit the Australian Herpetology Website

Agamas
of
The World Dragons
(Agamas)
of
Australia Lizards
of
Australia Lizards
of
The World

AUSTRALIAN DRAGON SPECIES LISTS BY STATE OR TERRITORY

Dragons
(Agamas)
of South
Australia Dragons
(Agamas)
of NSW Dragons
(Agamas)
of Qld Dragons
(Agamas)
of NT Dragons
(Agamas)
of WA Dragons
(Agamas)
of Victoria Dragons
(Agamas)
of
ACT Dragons
(Agamas)
of
Tasmania

TWEET THIS PAGE

AUSTRALIAN REPTILE SPECIES LISTS BY STATE OR TERRITORY

MORE REPTILE SPECIES LISTS

About John Fowler | John Hollister (deceased 2023) | Report Faulty Link | Report an Error

Contact John Fowler Author of the Australian Herpetology Website

John Hollister (deceased 2023) Author of the Sweetwater, Texas Rattlesnake Roundup

©2025 John Fowler, Rachel Barnes and John Hollister. All rights reserved.
Reproduction or re-use of information or materials from this web site is strictly prohibited and against international law.
(NOTE:- No permission is needed to link to this web page)

THE REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS OF AUSTRALIA - DRAGONS (AGAMAS)

AUSTRALIAN REPTILE PHOTOS AND INFORMATION
Covering Australian Snakes, Lizards, Crocodiles, Turtles, and Amphibians

PLEASE SHARE THIS PAGE

Kartiwarrui or Red-backed Sand Dragon (Ctenophorus kartiwarrui), previously called a Mallee Military Dragon (Ctenophorus fordi) by David Cook Wildlife Photography
(Photographed at Sturt National Park - NSW) is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 .

Approximate distribution of the (Ctenophorus kartiwarrui) Kartiwarrui or Red-backed Sand Dragon

RECOMMENDED AMAZON BOOKS
(Affiliate commission earned)

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

OTHER LINKS OF INTEREST

F i n d a R a n d o m S p e c i e s o f A u s t r a l i a n R e p t i l e

Visit the Australian Herpetology Website

Agamas
of
The World Dragons
(Agamas)
of
Australia Lizards
of
Australia Lizards
of
The World

AUSTRALIAN DRAGON SPECIES LISTS BY STATE OR TERRITORY

Dragons
(Agamas)
of South
Australia Dragons
(Agamas)
of NSW Dragons
(Agamas)
of Qld Dragons
(Agamas)
of NT Dragons
(Agamas)
of WA Dragons
(Agamas)
of Victoria Dragons
(Agamas)
of
ACT Dragons
(Agamas)
of
Tasmania

TWEET THIS PAGE

AUSTRALIAN REPTILE SPECIES LISTS BY STATE OR TERRITORY

Reptiles of South Australia

Reptiles
of
Victoria

Reptiles
of
NSW

Reptiles
of
Qld

Reptiles
of
NT

Reptiles
of
WA

Reptiles
of the
ACT

Reptiles of Tasmania

MORE REPTILE SPECIES LISTS

Reptiles of Lord Howe Island

Reptiles of Christmas Island

Reptiles
of Cocos Keeling Islands

Reptiles of Norfolk Island

Reptiles
of
Australia

Frogs
of
Australia

Reptiles
of
The World

Amphibians of the
World

About John Fowler | John Hollister (deceased 2023) | Report Faulty Link | Report an Error

Contact John Fowler Author of the Australian Herpetology Website

John Hollister (deceased 2023) Author of the Sweetwater, Texas Rattlesnake Roundup

©2025 John Fowler, Rachel Barnes and John Hollister. All rights reserved.
Reproduction or re-use of information or materials from this web site is strictly prohibited and against international law.
(NOTE:- No permission is needed to link to this web page)

Note Content (includes photos) by other contributors cannot be used without their permission.

Updated September 28, 2025

This site is supported by Temu, Depositphotos, Pi, CryptoTab Browser, and Coinbase

ANY CONTRIBUTION APPRECIATED

AUSTRALIAN REPTILE PHOTOS AND INFORMATION Covering Australian Snakes, Lizards, Crocodiles, Turtles, and Amphibians

PLEASE SHARE THIS PAGE

Kartiwarrui or Red-backed Sand Dragon (Ctenophorus kartiwarrui), previously called a Mallee Military Dragon (Ctenophorus fordi) by David Cook Wildlife Photography (Photographed at Sturt National Park - NSW) is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 .

Approximate distribution of the (Ctenophorus kartiwarrui) Kartiwarrui or Red-backed Sand Dragon

OTHER LINKS OF INTEREST Find a Random Species of Australian Reptile

AUSTRALIAN DRAGON SPECIES LISTS BY STATE OR TERRITORY Dragons (Agamas) of South Australia Dragons (Agamas) of NSW Dragons (Agamas) of Qld Dragons (Agamas) of NT Dragons (Agamas) of WA Dragons (Agamas) of Victoria Dragons (Agamas) of ACT Dragons (Agamas) of Tasmania

AUSTRALIAN REPTILE SPECIES LISTS BY STATE OR TERRITORY

MORE REPTILE SPECIES LISTS

About John Fowler | John Hollister (deceased 2023) | Report Faulty Link | Report an Error

Contact John Fowler Author of the Australian Herpetology Website

John Hollister (deceased 2023) Author of the Sweetwater, Texas Rattlesnake Roundup

©2025 John Fowler, Rachel Barnes and John Hollister. All rights reserved. Reproduction or re-use of information or materials from this web site is strictly prohibited and against international law. (NOTE:- No permission is needed to link to this web page)

Note Content (includes photos) by other contributors cannot be used without their permission.

Updated September 28, 2025

This site is supported by Temu, Depositphotos, Pi, CryptoTab Browser, and Coinbase

ANY CONTRIBUTION APPRECIATED

AUSTRALIAN REPTILE PHOTOS AND INFORMATION
Covering Australian Snakes, Lizards, Crocodiles, Turtles, and Amphibians

Kartiwarrui or Red-backed Sand Dragon (Ctenophorus kartiwarrui), previously called a Mallee Military Dragon (Ctenophorus fordi) by David Cook Wildlife Photography
(Photographed at Sturt National Park - NSW) is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 .

OTHER LINKS OF INTEREST

F i n d a R a n d o m S p e c i e s o f A u s t r a l i a n R e p t i l e

AUSTRALIAN DRAGON SPECIES LISTS BY STATE OR TERRITORY

Dragons
(Agamas)
of South
Australia Dragons
(Agamas)
of NSW Dragons
(Agamas)
of Qld Dragons
(Agamas)
of NT Dragons
(Agamas)
of WA Dragons
(Agamas)
of Victoria Dragons
(Agamas)
of
ACT Dragons
(Agamas)
of
Tasmania

©2025 John Fowler, Rachel Barnes and John Hollister. All rights reserved.
Reproduction or re-use of information or materials from this web site is strictly prohibited and against international law.
(NOTE:- No permission is needed to link to this web page)