Hydrosaurus amboinensis

Description

The Amboina sail-finned lizard or Amboina sailfin lizard (Hydrosaurus amboinensis) is the largest agamid lizard in the world, growing to over one metre in length. It is found in wooded habitats near water in New Guinea (both Papua New Guinea and Western New Guinea, Indonesia) and Ambon/Amboina Island (Indonesia). Although it has been reported from the Philippines and Sulawesi, a genetic study has shown that all in the former country (even southern ones, which have caused confusion in the past) are Philippine sailfin lizards H. pustulatus, while individuals from the latter island belong to a separate, currently unrecognized species to which the name H. celebensis is available. Sailfin lizards are semiaquatic and able to run short distances across water using both their feet and tail for support, similar to the basilisks.