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Close-up view of a lizard-like creature with green eyes on reddish-brown sand in a desert.

Close-up view of a lizard-like creature with green eyes on reddish-brown sand in a desert.

don't forget to make all the feature present in the image: The Southern Sanddrake is a striking, medium-sized terrestrial reptile distinguished by its robust yet streamlined body built for endurance in the harsh Australian Outback. Measuring approximately 1.2 meters (4 feet) from snout to tail, it has a low, ground-hugging stance with a posture similar to that of a large monitor lizard, though its proportions and features are entirely its own. Its head is elongated and narrow, ending in a slightly upturned, shovel-shaped snout lined with hardened keratin ridges—adapted for rooting through dry soil and sand in search of prey. The jaws are strong and house small, recurved teeth, with two specialized, hollow fangs situated mid-jaw capable of delivering venom. The skin on its face is thin and lightly vascularized, helping regulate temperature and flush excess heat. The eyes are prominent and positioned forward but slightly to the side, giving it a broad field of binocular and peripheral vision. They are golden-green in color, with vertically slit pupils and a reflective tapetum lucidum for improved low-light vision. A ring of fine, short sensory scales surrounds the eyes, aiding in close-up spatial detection, especially while hunting or digging. Behind the eyes sit semi-mobile external ear openings, oval in shape and ringed with a muscular fold that can close to protect against dust during sandstorms or while burrowing. These ears are sensitive to low-frequency vibrations, See more