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COMMON NAME: Northern Bearded
Dragon
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Pogona vitticeps
FAMILY: Agamidae
GENUS: Pogona
STATUS: Secure
SIZE (cm): 25 |
DESCRIPTION: Large robust Pogona with well-developed
'beard', strongly depressed body and broad head. Interior of mouth usually
pink. Ground colour shades of grey, brown, reddish brown to bright orange.
Pattern prominent on juveniles; obscure to absent on adults. Paravertebral
series of pale lozenge-shaped blotches extends from nape to hips. These
may coalesce to form broad wavy stripes; occasionally joined by pale
transverse bars. Outer dorsal area may be darker, bearing obscure dark
and pale markings. Top of head bears broad dark stripes, directed obliquely
backwards. These fade to absence with age. Some individuals bear bright
orange flush on side of head, particularly around eye. Pale-edged dark
streak extends from eye to rear level of jaw. Ventral surfaces pale
to dark grey, bearing elongate white spots; each edged laterally with
black. 'Beard' dorsal colour; black on mature males. SVL 250 mm. Distinguished
from P. barbata by alignment of spines across rear of head (arranged
in a more or less straight transverse line vs a backward curving arc),
and shape of erected 'beard' (rounded vs squarish). Differs from P.
minor and P. henrylawsoni in attaining much greater maximum size (SVL
250 vs 145 and 130 mm respectively), and nature of beard (spines extending
from rear to jaw across throat vs restricted to ventrolateral edge on
rear of jaw).
PREFERRED HABITAT: Semi-arid to arid woodlands in
eastern interior of Australia, from central Qld and NSW, through north-western
Vic, to eastern half of SA (excluding south-east) and south-eastern
NT.
MICROHABITAT: Terrestrial and arboreal, favouring
elevated perches such as stumps, fence posts or rocks. Hollow limbs
and shallow depressions beneath vegetation or surface debris are used
for shelter.
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