Pogona barbata

Other Names: Pogona barbatus, Eastern Bearded Dragon, Jew Lizard, Frilly Lizard (sometimes confused with the Frill-necked Lizard).

Size: Body typically 25 cm. Total size 50-60 cm including tail.

Family: Agamidae (Agamid lizards, 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.)

Distribution: Southeast Australia and much of eastern QLD, not in TAS or the most southeast parts of VIC. Not in WA.

Status: Widespread and common.

Habitat: Semi-arboreal (tree-dwelling).Often seen perching on tree limbs, stumps, and fence posts.

Danger: Unlike the dragons of mythology, bearded dragons are friendly and almost completely harmless to humans. They are gentle and slow to anger, though if you really tried, one might bite your finger, which could possibly cause infection.

References: Wilson and Swan, Wikipedia.

About the Common Bearded Dragon

One of Australia's most well-known reptiles. They live in both native bushland and in and around populated areas, and they're diurnal (meaning they're active in the daytime and sleep in the night, the opposite of nocturnal) — so they're often seen by people.

Posture: When harassed, the bearded dragon flattens its body, sticks out its beard, and opens its mouth wide (which is yellow or pink inside).

Diet: Omnivorous, eats invertebrates, small vertebrates, and leaves, fruits and flowers of plants.

Breeding: According to Wikipedia, some bearded dragons are transsexual. "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 had offspring, besides having the male ZZ chromosomes, of the genetic male lizards."

Photo: Featherdale Wildlife Park, Sydney NSW. Higher Resolution 3008 x 2000.

Photo: Featherdale Wildlife Park, Sydney NSW. Higher Resolution 3008 x 2000.

Photo: Featherdale Wildlife Park, Sydney NSW. Higher Resolution 2000 x 3008.

Distribution of Eastern/Common Bearded Dragon: Image by rbrausse with Quantum GIS at Wikipedia.

See Also

Australian Mammals
Australian Birds
Australian Frogs
Australian Fish
Australian Spiders and Their Faces
Australian Wild Plant Foods

Return to Australian Reptiles