New Lizard Species Named After House of the Dragon’s Syrax

Scientists have named a newly discovered mountain horned dragon species after one of House of the Dragon’s most recognizable creatures.

The newly identified Acanthosaura syrax, commonly known as the Syrax mountain horned dragon, was discovered in Thailand’s Mae Wong National Park and named for Syrax, the yellow-scaled dragon ridden by Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen in HBO’s House of the Dragon. Researchers say the lizard shares several traits with its fictional namesake, including its relatively small size, yellowish coloration and high reproductive output.

Details of the discovery were published in the scientific journal ZooKeys.

The timing gives the real-world dragon an appropriately Westerosi debut. HBO recently aired the Season 3 finale of House of the Dragon, which left Rhaenyra firmly on the darker side of the Targaryen civil war. The finale also delivered major deaths and widespread devastation, setting the stage for the series’ fourth and final season.