EARLESS DRAGON Tympanocryptis sp.
This small 10 cm lizard occurs in inland parts of mainland Australia.
It is identifiable by the lack of an external ear opening.
The ear is actually present below a layer of skin. Insectivorous, it is commonly found eating insects killed by cars on roads at dusk. Specimens have been found sleeping on roads at night in warmer weather. Often individuals will occupy burrows sited at the base of a low shrub or rock, to which they will retreat when alarmed. When foraging this lizard may stand on its' hind limbs and tail(forming a tripod), with the forelimbs held against the side of the body in a bid to get a better view of the surrounding countryside. This position may be maintained for over ten minutes. Breeding biology is little known.
The above was from the book Australian Reptiles and Frogs by Raymond Hoser and now available on a fantastic CD-Rom along with a vast amount of other information, papers and the like on reptiles, frogs and other wildlife.