any of about 30 species of lizards belonging to the family Agamidae (suborder Sauria). They are rather unspecialized lizards about 30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 inches) long exhibiting little development of crests or dewlaps. They inhabit rocky desert areas throughout Africa, southeastern Europe, and central India.

Although they are usually brown or gray, males undergo a conspicuous colour change during mating season, turning bright red, blue, and shades of yellow; in some species females are known to court males. Agamas, which lay from 2 to 20 eggs per clutch, may hatch several clutches in one year.

Agama agama, a common gray lizard with a red or yellow head, is well adapted to gardens and to the bush and grasslands. The hardun (A. stellio), which is common in northern Egypt, has a tail ringed with spiked scales, giving it a ferocious appearance.