One of the Australian wild animals that attracts the most attention is the bearded dragon or pogona, which, in addition, in some countries can be a pet. Due to the name of the dragon and its body covered with scales and thorns, one might think that it is a dangerous species and, perhaps, you have some doubts as to whether the bearded dragon is poisonous or aggressive. In this case, we invite you to continue reading this EcologíaVerde article where we explain the characteristics of the bearded dragon or pogona and more questions such as, for example, what does a bearded dragon eat, what is its habitat, its behavior and its reproduction. Discover this curious reptile!
Characteristics of the bearded dragon
bearded dragons are scaly lizards bearing the scientific name pogona, hence they are also known as pogonas. There are 6 species of bearded dragon or pogona:
- P. barbata
- P. henrylawsoni
- P. microlepidota
- P. minor
- p mitchelli
- P. nullarbor
- P. vitticeps
They all have common characteristics, for example, they are known because in the throat they have an expandable sac lined by spines that look like beards.
Basically they are brown, varying according to the soil and the temperature on which they live. Some may even have red, blue, pink, or yellow colorations. They can be darkened to improve the absorption of sunlight, as they are ectothermic or cold-blooded animals They do not produce their own heat. Here you can learn more about cold-blooded animals.
From head to tail, they measure between 30 and 60 centimeters. The head is triangular and the tail is very strong, while the body is flattened and wide, also covered in spines. In addition, their legs have claws with which they help to support themselves while climbing.
Regarding how long a bearded dragon lives, we can say that in captivity, either in a home or in an animal center, if they are well cared for they can live between 10 and 15 years.
Here you can learn more about the Types of reptiles, their characteristics and examples.
bearded dragon habitat
The bearded dragon is native australian, with a wide range that covers from the center to the east of this country. can live in a variety of ecosystems different, from deserts and dunes to dry forests, savannahs, grasslands or scrublands.
Are from semi-arboreal habits, which means that it can be found in elevated areas of the ground, ranging from trees, branches or fallen trunks to human structures, such as fences or tables. Here you can meet the Animals that live in the trees.
To cope with extreme temperatures in their habitats, they may enter lethargic processes. During intense heat go dormant in caves underground that they dig themselves, and in the cold winters they go into a process called brumation in case the temperature drops below 15 °C overnight. In this last process they go without eating, but they do drink water from time to time. In this other article you can learn more about Brumation: what it is and examples of animals.
What does the bearded dragon eat
As for the diet of the bearded dragon or pogona, it is an animal with opportunistic omnivorous feeding, that is to say that they feed on whatever crosses their path. Living in very dry areas, food can become scarce, so they do not get picky and agree to eat whatever is available at the time. For example, they can eat lizards, plants, fruits, insects and sometimes small rodents.
Also, as a curious fact, their stomachs are particularly large to accommodate large contents of food.
We recommend you read here about What animals are omnivores. We also recommend reading these other articles on Frugivorous Animals: characteristics and list of examples and Insectivorous Animals: what they are and list of examples.
bearded dragon behavior
The bearded dragon has very particular behaviors. When they feel threatened or want to show their strength, both males and females, they inflate their neck sac covered by barbs or fine spikes, and even this jacket can change to a dark black to look even more intimidating. Added to this, they can open mouth during the intimidation process. Males have additional aggressive behavior in which move their head up and downthereby showing dominance.
Despite this, the bearded dragon is not always aggressive and most of the time it has good temper which makes it among the pets in many countries.
The dragon has a particular behavior in which wave with one hand. To do this, it stands on three legs and raises one front leg in slow circles. This strange behavior serves to recognize itself among others of its kind, just as we humans do. This raising of limbs can also function as an attitude of submission towards another specimen, especially when it discovers that the other is stronger. This is very useful for them to avoid fights in which they have no chance of winning, or to recognize that the territory they are on does not belong to them. They also use this movement as a distraction for small prey.
Reproduction of the bearded dragon
The breeding season for the bearded dragon occurs between spring and summerwhich in Australia, its place of origin, arrives for the months of September to March.
The bearded dragon becomes reproductive adult When it meets 1 or 2 years old. There are sexual dimorphism in which males have the largest beards than the females, which are used for sexual courtship. In this other post you can read more about sexual dimorphism: what it is and examples.
Some males can show rivalry with each other by changing the color of their skin. They can accompany the courtship with the aforementioned movement of the head, with which they make the female understand that they want to mate with her, to which if she accepts, she will respond by raising one of her limbs as a sign of acceptance and submission.
Fertilization is internal and, as a result, approximately 24 eggs. These are put into a hole that the female digs for that purpose. A year they can have up to 9 clutches, for which the females can save the sperm without the need for a new copulation. After 55 to 75 days, the young emerge from the egg..
Now that you have gotten to know the bearded dragon or pogona better, we recommend you read this other post about the Flora and fauna of Australia.
If you want to read more articles similar to Bearded dragon or pogona: characteristics, habitat and what it eatswe recommend that you enter our Wild Animals category.
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