Largest agama

The largest species of agama is the Amboina sailfin lizard, also known as the sail-tailed water lizard Hydrosaurus amboinensis, which can exceed 1 m in total length in adult males, and bears a large crest running down its entire body from head to tail but attaining a very large sail-like form upon the tail. It is native to the large Indonesian island of Sulawesi (=Celebes), the Moluccas (including Ambon Island after which it is named), Papua New Guinea and the Philippines. It has two slightly smaller relatives, the Philippine sailfin lizard H. pustulatus and Weber's sailfin lizard H. weberi.

Ecologically speaking, agamas are the Old World's equivalents of the New World's iguanas. This very distinctive-looking agama species is primarily arboreal, but is also a first-rate swimmer, enabling it to feed upon fishes and aquatic arthropods as well as fruit, small rodents, birds, earthworms and insects. Moreover, despite its large size, it is able to run across the surface of water for short distances without sinking, as can the more famous South American basilisk lizard, using its large feet and tail for support.