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Species in the Spotlight: Bearded Dragon

Latin Name: Pogona vitticeps
Common Names: Inland Bearded Dragon
Geographic Range: Eastern and South Eastern Australia.
Average Size: Adults of this species usually grow to be about 2 feet in length, with the tail accounting for over half of the total body

length. Females are typically smaller than the males, have smaller heads, thinner legs and tails and wider bodies.
Habitat: This dragon is native to the semi-arid woodland, arid woodland, and rocky desert regions of Central Australia. They are skilled climbers, and often spend just as much time perching on tree limbs, fenceposts, and in bushes as they do on the ground. They spend the morning and early evening sunning themselves on an exposed branch or rock, and retreat to shady areas or underground burrows during the hottest parts of the afternoon.
Reproduction: Central bearded dragons reach full sexual maturity around 18 months of age. Males will become very aggressive towards each other and will assert their dominance by inflating their beards and through fast head bobbing. Breeding typically occurs in the early spring Females will lay a clutch of eleven to thirty oblong-shaped eggs in a shallow nest dug in the sand. After being laid the eggs are buried and are left unattended. The eggs will hatch approximately 60 to 80 days later depending on the incubation temperature. Bearded Dragon courtship involves the male "head bobbing" to display dominance. If the female displays submissive behavior the male will use its mouth to grab the back of the females head and the male will also wrap its front legs around the females upper torso to keep her from moving. Copulation and insemination doesn't take very long. The gestation period averages about a month and a half.
Interesting Fact: The “beard” can be extended in a defensive behavior to make the animal appear larger. This “beard” can also change colors to jet black when alarmed or during courtship. It is a very social animal and has a rich gestural language, such as bobbing heads at one another, gaping mouths, flattening bodies and tilting as they circle one another, swishing tail, and using their tongue to check out the environment. Some behaviors, for instance, raising one arm and holding it stationary or slowly waving it in circles, means that it is trying to tell the other dragon that it is a friend and means no harm. It is also a very curious animal and loves to explore new areas.

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