Scientists Uncovered A Real Dragon In Thailand And Named It After Syrax From House Of The Dragon

A new species of lizard was discovered in the mountain forests of western Thailand. It has not been found anywhere else in the world. The species, Acanthosaura syrax, is named after Syrax, the dragon ridden by Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon.

A. syrax is part of a group of agamid lizards known as mountain horned dragons. They have spiny crests on the neck and back. The new discovery means that there are now 23 recognized species in the genus Acanthosaura.

Researchers found the species in an evergreen forest in Mae Wong National Park. The park is located in Tak-Kamphaeng Phet Province at elevations of more than 4,200 feet.

On April 23, 2025, a pair of researchers, Poramad and Krittiya Trivalairat, originally went up to a site in the national park in search of another lizard, Acanthosaura lepidogaster.

However, the lizard never made an appearance. Instead, they ended up collecting three small horned lizards that did not match the species that lived in the area. A month later, they returned and came across five more of the lizards at the same site.

After studying the eight lizards, it was determined that they belonged to a new species, A. syrax. The research team chose the name Syrax because the newly described lizard shared the same traits as the fictional dragon.

In House of the Dragon, Syrax is smaller than the other dragons. She is a striking yellow color and produces an unusually high number of eggs.

A. syrax is yellowish-green, ranks among the smallest species in its genus, and also produces a large number of eggs for its body size.

The largest male measured about 2.7 inches long, and the largest female reached about four inches. Four of the five females examined also carried six to 16 eggs.

banjongseal324 - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only - pictured above is the mountains of Thailand

Of all the members of its genus, A. syrax has the smallest crest scales along its neck and back. It doesn't have a black patch around the eye like several of its close relatives, but it does have a dark diamond-shaped pattern around its neck.

The researchers recorded 51 physical traits and compared the eight lizards to other mountain horned dragons. Then, they analyzed two mitochondrial genes from the eight specimens.

The results of the analysis showed that A. syrax is genetically distinct from its closest known relative, A. lepidogaster, as well as every other recognized species in the group.

So far, A. syrax is only known to occupy a narrow zone of high-altitude forest. Researchers encountered it above 4,265 feet and did not find it below 3,281 feet. They discovered A. lepidogaster about 31 miles north at lower elevations in warmer conditions.

The rugged terrain of the mountain naturally separates lizard populations. Further isolation could make the species more vulnerable. The research team is calling for stronger protection of the high-elevation habitat of Mae Wong.

The study is published in the journal Zookeys.