Central Bearded Dragon

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Central Bearded Dragon
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Family: Agamidae Genus: Pogona Species: P. vitticeps
Binomial name
Pogona vitticeps Ahl, 1926

Central (or Inland) Bearded Dragon are common names for the species Pogona vitticeps, a type of agamid lizard occurring in arid regions of Australia.

Contents 1 Description 2 Ecology and behaviour 3 Diet 4 Reproduction 5 Captive breeding 6 Photo Gallery 7 References 8 External links

[edit] Description

Adult central bearded dragons usually grow to be about ten inches in length, with the tail accounting for over half of the total body length. Females are typically smaller than the males. Bearded dragons come in a wide variety of colors, including brown, grey, reddish-brown, green, and even orange. They are capable of undergoing very slight changes in the shade of their color to help regulate temperature. The specialized scales along both sides of the throat, neck, and head form many narrow spines which run down the side of the body to the tail. When feeling threatened a bearded dragon will flatten its body against the ground, puff out its spiny throat, and open its jaws to make itself appear larger. The bearded dragon is so named because of the spiny throat projections appear similar to a human beard. Males typically have a darker "beard" than females, and during mating season and courtship the "beard" will typically darken to near-black. The bearded dragon, like most agamid lizards, has strong legs which enable it to lift its body completely off the ground while it moves. This is done to reduce the heat taken in from the ground, as well as to increase the air-flow over the belly to cool itself further.

[edit] Ecology and behaviour

The central bearded dragon is native to the semi-arid to and arid woodlands 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 than they do on the ground. They spend much of the morning and evening sunning themselves on top of an exposed branch or rock. They are diurnal, but like most desert animals they spend the hottest parts of the day hiding in underground burrows or any other cool hiding spot removed from direct sunlight.

Bearded dragons do not make sound. Instead they use actions, positions and colour displays to communicate.

Arm waving is used mainly by young dragons and seems to be a signal to recognise the presence of another dragon. This action is not often used by adults.

Basking position is used to signal dominance. The dominant animal will choose the best basking spot, often climbing over others to get there.

There are several different kinds of head bob gesture. These are: Slow bowing motion - often used by adult females to signal submission to a male. Fast bob - often used by males as well as a black beard to signal dominance. Violent bob - used by males just before mating. Often this action will shift the lizard's entire body.

Gravid females will often refuse the advances of a male by chasing him and lying on his back.

[edit] Diet

Central bearded dragons are omnivorous. They are voracious eaters, feeding on insects and other invertebrates, and are known to sometimes eat small vertebrates, such as mice, as well. They also tend to eat more soft plant matter (such as green leaves, fruits and vegetables, and flowers) as they mature. Although they gain much of the moisture they need from their food, they do drink on occasion and should be offered a bowl of water at least once a week if kept in captivity.

[edit] 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. In captivity, they can be incubated in a styrofoam fish box, but without a male lizard the eggs the female lay will not be fertile. However a female bearded dragon can retain sperm, and thus produce fertile eggs even after being separated from a male.

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.

[edit] Captive breeding

Central Bearded dragons are used as pets and exhibited in zoos. Several of the Pogona genus are bred in captivity as pets, the two most popular are this species, Pogona vitticeps, and the Western Bearded Dragon (Pogona minor subspecies).^[1][2]

Pet Bearded Dragons world wide are threatened by Agamid adenovirus, a virus that when showing symptoms compromises the immune system of the dragon, and leads to death from other diseases, however majority of the infections are sub-clinical. Sub-clinically infected animals show no signs themselves but are active carriers of the disease and will infect other Bearded Dragons.

When the female is ready to lay eggs she will generally stop eating and spend most of her time trying to dig.^{[citation needed]}

Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.

[edit] Photo Gallery

Bearded Dragon feeding	Size of newborn Bearded Dragon	Underside of baby Bearded Dragon	Adult Bearded Dragon
Juvenile Bearded Dragon	Central Bearded Dragons at the terrarium	Juvenile Bearded Dragon perched on a fingertip	Female Bearded Dragon gaping to dissipate excess heat while basking

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Bearded Dragons basic caresheet
• Bearded-Dragons.com Discussion Forum
• BeardedDragon.org Discussion, Community, and Information
• Bearded Dragon Care