Central bearded dragon

A medium-sized agamid lizard (family Agamidae) native to the arid and semi-arid interior of Australia. Adults measure 40–60 cm total length (including tail) and weigh 300–500 g. They have a broad, triangular head and a "beard"—an expandable throat pouch (gular pouch) covered in spiky scales that can be puffed out and darkened to black when threatened or during social displays. Body color ranges from tan to yellow, red, or brown, with capacity for moderate color change. Numerous morphs have been bred in captivity (translucent, hypo, leatherback, zero, witblits). They are diurnal, semi-arboreal, and bask extensively. Omnivorous: insects, vegetation, flowers, and occasional small vertebrates. They communicate through head-bobbing and arm-waving displays. Remarkably, they have temperature-dependent sex determination that can override chromosomal (ZZ/ZW) sex: high temperatures produce phenotypic females from ZZ genotypes. Females lay 15–30 eggs; incubation: ~55–75 days. They are the most popular pet lizard species globally. Lifespan: 10–15 years. IUCN: Least Concern.