About Phrynocephalus mystaceus (Pallas, 1776)
Phrynocephalus mystaceus, which is also called the secret toadhead agama and toad-headed agama, is a species of agamid lizard. Its range covers southern Russia, Kazakhstan, and northwestern China’s Xinjiang region, extending southward to northern Iran, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. The most notable feature of this species is its defense mechanism. When the lizard feels threatened, it flattens its body and opens its mouth wide, which unfurls its bright-colored mouth flaps. This display, paired with continuous hissing, deters predators that encounter the lizard. Phrynocephalus mystaceus typically inhabits the unvegetated tops of large, high sand dunes, and can be found at elevations ranging from −45 to 1,000 meters (−148 to 3,281 feet) above sea level.
