Inland Bearded Dragon
Photographed at the National Zoo in Washington, DC in January 2010.
Taxonomy
Order: Squamata
Family: Agamidae
Genus/species: Pogona vitticeps
Inland bearded dragons are 13 to 24 inches (33 to 61 cm) long, including the tail. They are appropriately named bearded dragons because of their beard, an expandable dewlap with spiky scales. They have a broad, triangular head, round bodies, stout legs, and robust tails. Color for this species depends on the soil of the region they live in, ranging from dull brown to tan with red or gold highlights.
Adult bearded dragons are territorial. As they grow, they establish social hierarchies in which aggressive and appeasement displays form a normal part of their social interactions. The beard is used for both mating and aggression displays. Both sexes have a beard, but males display more frequently, especially in courtship rituals. Females will, however, display their beard as a sign of aggression also. The beard turns dark to jet black and inflates during the display. The bearded dragon may also open its mouth and gape in addition to inflating its beard to appear more intimidating.
Another interesting behavior is arm waving. The bearded dragon stands on three legs and waves one of its forelimbs in a slow circular pattern. One function of arm waving seems to be species recognition. Arm waving is also used to show submission. A small bearded dragon responds with arm waving when confronted with a larger, more dominant bearded dragon. Females also arm wave to avoid aggression from males, especially if the male is head bobbing.
Head bobbing is when the male quickly bobs its head up and down, often with a darkened beard. The male head bobs to show dominance to both smaller insubordinate males and females that he would like to mate with.
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