Agama kirkii, also known commonly as Kirk's rock agama, is a small species of lizard in the family Agamidae. The species is native to southeastern Africa. There are two recognized subspecies.
Etymology The specific name, kirkii, is in honor of British naturalist John Kirk.Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M (2011).The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (Agama kirkii, p. 142).
Description Adults of A. kirkii usually have a total length of of which 60–70% is the long tail. Maximum recorded total length is . In displaying males, the head is orange, and the body is blue. In breeding females, the head is turquoise, and the body is yellowish gray.
Geographic range A. kirkii is found in Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Habitat The preferred natural habitat of A. kirkii is rocky areas of savanna.
Behavior A. kirkii is terrestrial and rupicolous (rock-dwelling). It lives in colonies with a dominant male, and is diurnal.Spawls S, Howell K, Hinkel H, Menegon M (2018). A Field Guide to East African Reptiles, Second Edition. London, Oxford, New York, New Delhi, Sydney: Bloomsbury Wildlife. 624 pp. . (Agama kirkii, pp. 238–239).
Diet A. kirkii preys predominately upon ants, but also eats other insects and other arthropods.
Reproduction A. kirkii is oviparous. The average clutch size is ten eggs, and the average length (including tail) of each hatchling is .
Subspecies Two subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies. Agama kirkii fitzsimonsi Agama kirkii kirkii
References
Further reading Boulenger GA (1885). Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume I. ... Agamidæ. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 436 pp. + Plates I–XXXII. (Agama kirkii, new species, p. 354 + Plate XXVIII, figure 2). Broadley DG (2002). "Geographic Distribution. Agama kirkii Boulenger 1885". African Herp News (35): 22–23. Broadley S (2017). "Agama kirkii, (Boulenger 1885) [sic], Kirk's Rock Agama, Sand-bathing". African Herp News (64): 35–36. Loveridge A (1950). "A New Agamid Lizard (Agama kirkii fitzsimonsi) from southern Rhodesi [sic]". Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 63: 127–129. (Agama kirkii fitsimonsi, new subspecies).