Eastern Bearded Dragon

The eastern bearded dragon (Pogona barbata) is an agamid lizard found in wooded parts of Australia. It is one of a group of species known commonly as bearded dragons. Other common names for this species include Jew lizard and frilly lizard, the latter being a confusion between this and another dragon; the frill-necked lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii).

It is most common in eastern Australia south of Cape York Peninsula, but specimens have been collected from Cape York, through central Australia, and even from the west coast of Australia. It is a large species of grey-black colour distinguished from its relative, the central bearded dragon, Pogona vitticeps, by its less robust body and the row of spines along the lateral edge of the body, which continues over the forearm (Cogger, 1992). It tends to be more cryptic in its behaviour than the central bearded dragon, and performs its bearded display more often. It has an adult snout-tail length of about 24 inches (60 cm). When threatened, in addition to its beard display, it gapes to display the bright yellow colour of the inside of its mouth. It eats small lizards and snakes, flowers, insects, fruits, and berries.

This species was previously known as Amphibolurus barbatus.