Western Bearded DragonScientific Name: Pogona minor ssp. minor
Meaning of name: Pogona is from the Greek word pogon, meaning beard. Minor is Latin for small.
Distribution: Occurs from the western Kimberley to southern half of WA excluding the Nullarbor and lower south-west.
Description: This grey lizard can grow up to 60 centimetres long, with 2/3rds of this being tail. It is called a bearded dragon because of the spines along its jaw-line and up behind its ear.
Notes: It can often be seen basking on fallen timber and can change colour with mood and body temperature. It becomes yellowish-brown as its body temperature rises but dark grey when resting or disturbed.
Two clutches of between five and 11 eggs are laid between October and February. The time to hatch the eggs varies with the temperature – longer in cool weather, quicker in hot weather.
References: A Guide to the Reptiles and Frogs of the Perth Region. Brian Bush, Brad Maryan, Robert Browne-Cooper, David Robinson. 1995
A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia. Steve Wilson and Gerry Swan. 2003
Lizards of Western Australia II Dragons and Monitors. GM Storr, LA Smith, RE Johnstone. 1983
In the right light the beard on a Western Bearded Dragon stands out well.
You can get very close to a Western Bearded Dragon if you move slowly.
This Western Bearded Dragon is trying to look like a broken branch.
Western Bearded Dragons use camouflage as their primary means of defence.
This Western Bearded Dragon had climbed a bush to get warm from the sun.
This youngster is making its way to the surface after hatching in an underground chamber.
Western Bearded Dragons become a yellowish colour when warm. This one is defensive; showing the yellow mouth interior and making its scales stick out. Photograph courtesy of Clint Frame.
