Lacerta mystacea Pallas, 1776 Phrynocephalus mystaceus, also known as the secret toadhead agama[2] and toad-headed agama,[1] is a species of agamid lizard.

It is found in southern Russia, Kazakhstan, and northwestern China (Xinjiang) and southward to northern Iran, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.

[1][2]The most exciting feature of the toad-headed agamas is their defense mechanism.

This, along with continuous hissing, scares whatever predator they encounter.

Two subspecies are recognized:[2]Phrynocephalus mystaceus is generally associated with unvegetated tops of large, high sand dunes and occurs at elevations of −45–1,000 m (−148–3,281 ft) above sea level.