The eastern bearded dragon (''Pogona barbata''), also known as common bearded dragon or simply bearded lizard, is an

agamid Agamidae is a family of over 300 species of iguanian lizards indigenous to Africa, Asia, Australia, and a few in Southern Europe. Many species are commonly called dragons or dragon lizards. Overview Phylogenetically, they may be sister to the I ...

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...

found in wooded parts of

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. It is one of a group of species known commonly as

bearded dragons ''Pogona'' is a genus of reptiles containing six lizard species which are often known by the common name bearded dragons. The name "bearded dragon" refers to the underside of the throat (or "beard") of the lizard, which can turn black and gain we ...

. Other common names for this species include Jew lizard and frilly lizard, the latter being a confusion between this and another dragon, the

frill-necked lizard The frilled lizard (''Chlamydosaurus kingii''), also known as the frill-necked lizard or frilled dragon, is a species of lizard in the family Agamidae. It is native to northern Australia and southern New Guinea. This species is the only member o ...

(''Chlamydosaurus kingii''). This species was originally described in 1829 by

Georges Cuvier Jean Léopold Nicolas Frédéric, Baron Cuvier (; 23 August 1769 – 13 May 1832), known as Georges Cuvier, was a French natural history, naturalist and zoology, zoologist, sometimes referred to as the "founding father of paleontology". Cuvier ...

, who named it ''Amphibolurus barbatus''.

Description

''P. barbata'' is one of the eight recognized species within the genus ''Pogona''. Adult males can grow to about from the snout to the tip of the tail, while females may reach in overall length. The head is large and triangular in shape. The throat is covered with spiny, dark grey scales which can be raised to form an impressive "beard". Several groups of even longer spiny scales are located at the back of the head, the corners of the mouth, the external ear openings, and running posteriorly along both sides of the abdomen. The thorax and abdomen are relatively slender and flattened dorsoventrally. It is usually grey-black or red in skin colour and is sometimes reddish-brown, yellowish-brown, or dark brown. Juveniles are paler in colour than the adults and have patterns that fade as they mature. As the animal matures, it develops a subtle pale yellow, blue, or green tinge on the forepart of its head. If excited and at higher temperatures head, flanks and legs have a yellowish to orange colour. Usually however they are rather dark, from yellowish to grey and black. The inside of the mouth is generally a bright yellow colour. ''P. barbata'' resembles its close relative, the

central bearded dragon The central bearded dragon (''Pogona vitticeps''), also known as the inland bearded dragon, is a species of agamid lizard found in a wide range of arid to semiarid regions of eastern and central Australia. Taxonomy ''Pogona vitticeps'' was fi ...

, but may be distinguished from the latter by its less robust body and the row of spines along the lateral edge of the body, which continues over the forearm.

Distribution and habitat

It is most common in eastern Australia south of

Cape York Peninsula Cape York Peninsula is a large peninsula located in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is the largest unspoiled wilderness in northern Australia.Mittermeier, R.E. et al. (2002). Wilderness: Earth’s last wild places. Mexico City: Agrupación ...

, but specimens have been collected from Cape York, through central Australia, and even from the west coast of Australia.

Ecology and behaviour

Eastern bearded dragons are diurnal. They are

arboreal Arboreal locomotion is the Animal locomotion, locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some animals may scale trees only occasionally, but others are exclusively arboreal. Th ...

and perch on exposed places such as tree branches or logs, retreating to lower and cooler places when too hot. They are more aggressive than the central bearded dragon. The males are territorial and permit only females and juveniles in their territory. Dominant males are usually the biggest dragons and get the highest perches. Females tunnel into dry earth to lay a clutch of eggs. When threatened, it inflates its throat and displays its beard. If further provoked, it opens its mouth to display the bright yellow colour of the lining of its mouth. In its close relative, the central bearded dragon; the lining of the mouth is of a reddish-pink hue. However the eastern bearded dragon will perform this beard display more often than its cousin.

Sex makeup

Recent observations concluded that hot temperatures were responsible for some of eastern bearded dragon lizards to change their sex makeup. Some lizards changed their male appearance to female, and have offspring, besides having the male ZZ chromosomes, of the genetic male lizards.

Diet

The eastern bearded dragon feeds on a variety of small animals, including mice, smaller reptiles, and insects. In captivity, it also eats

leaf vegetable Leaf vegetables, also called leafy greens, pot herbs, vegetable greens, or simply greens, are plant leaves eaten as a vegetable, sometimes accompanied by tender petioles and shoots. Leaf vegetables eaten raw in a salad can be called salad gre ...

s such as clover and small flowers, fruits, and berries.

Gallery

File:Eastern bearded dragon. Near Bourke. NSW. 1976.jpg, Eastern bearded dragon. Near Bourke, NSW. File:Eastern Bearded Dragon defence.JPG, Eastern bearded dragon showing a threatening defence display File:Pogona babrata Canberra 2011-11-20.jpg, Yearling eastern bearded dragon found in a suburban yard in

Canberra Canberra ( ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...

Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory (commonly abbreviated as ACT), known as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) until 1938, is a landlocked federal territory of Australia containing the national capital Canberra and some surrounding townships. ...

File:AndrewMercerIMG 3053 Eastern Bearded Dragon.jpg, Head-on view of an Eastern Bearded Dragon. Brisbane, Australia

References

External links

Bearded dragons basic caresheet

Bearded dragons forum
* {{Taxonbar, from=Q306893 Pogona Agamid lizards of Australia Endemic fauna of Australia Reptiles described in 1829 Taxa named by Georges Cuvier