New Mountain Dragon Lizard Species Named After Syrax From House of the Dragon

Scientists have described a new lizard species, Acanthosaura syrax, from the mountain forests of western Thailand. It belongs to the mountain horned dragons, a group within the agamid lizard family known for spiny crests along the neck and back. Researchers found it in evergreen forest above 1,300 metres in Mae Wong National Park, Tak-Kamphaeng Phet Province, and it has not been recorded elsewhere. Led by Poramad Trivalairat and colleagues from Chulabhorn Royal Academy and Kasetsart University, the study appeared in the open-access journal ZooKeys, raising the genus Acanthosaura to 23 recognised species.

The species is named after Syrax, the dragon ridden by Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen in the television series House of the Dragon. Researchers said several of the fictional dragon's traits are echoed in the lizard: yellow colouring, small size, and unusually high egg production. A. syrax has yellowish-green colouring, ranks among the smallest species in its genus, and lays relatively large egg clutches for its body size. The team proposed "Syrax mountain horned dragon" as an English common name, alongside a Thai name with the same meaning.

A. syrax also has the smallest neck and back crest scales documented in the genus, along with a generally small body. Unlike several closely related species, it lacks a black patch around the eye, showing a dark collar marking instead. Genetic testing based on two genes confirmed it is distinct from its closest known relative, A. lepidogaster, and from every other recognised species in the group.

The lizard appears confined to a narrow band of high-altitude forest. Researchers say the region's rugged terrain naturally separates its populations across the mountain range, which could leave it especially vulnerable if the habitat faces further pressure. They are calling for stronger protection of Mae Wong's high-elevation forests and suggest A. syrax could become a flagship species for conservation, alongside other rare animals recorded there: the Asian forest tortoise, Oldham's leaf turtle and the Indochinese tiger.