Preliminary Evolutionary Trends of Ctenophorus Dragon (Lacertilia: Agamidae) Lifespans, With a New Longevity Record

We reviewed the published literature on the lifespans of dragon lizards in the genus Ctenophorus (Agamidae) and collated all known lifespan records for this genus, both in the wild and in captivity. We found that Ctenophorus species for which longevity data in the wild are available are about evenly split between those that live 1 year or less (annuals) and those that live multiple years. In captivity, Ctenophorus are generally longer lived than in the wild. However, one annual species, the painted dragon (Ctenophorus pictus), appears to live only 1 year even in captivity, suggesting that longevity can be more constrained. We also document a new longevity record for the genus: a female rusty dragon (Ctenophorus rufescens) lived for 12 years in our care after being captured as an adult. We estimate her lifespan to have been at least 13 years. Ctenophorus show both a wide range of longevity and variance in the degree to which it is plastic, both of which warrant further investigation.