Types of Bearded Dragons and German Giants

Bearded dragons are native to Australia and belong to the Pogona genus. There are eight species of bearded dragon, including the genetically engineered German giant. The "beard" actually consists of spines under the throat which the reptile puffs up as a defense mechanism when feeling threatened. Despite their popularity as pets, most species of bearded dragon are still found only in the wild.

  1. Inland Bearded Dragon

    • Inland bearded dragons, or Pogona vitticeps, are the pet species of "beardies" and the most common member of the Pogona genus in the Australian desert. They are also known as central bearded dragons because their natural habitat is around the central area of southeast Australia. Inland dragons are friendly and docile by nature and breed well in captivity.

    Eastern Bearded Dragon

    • The eastern bearded dragon, or Pogona barbata, is found on the east coast of Australia. It is one of the few beardies capable of adapting to a wide range of environments. Easterns live equally well in forests, farmland, desert scrub land and even populated areas. They are gray or dark brown in color and grow up to 2 feet long.

    Rankin's Dragon

    • Rankin's dragons are a small species of bearded dragon and rarely grow longer than about 12 inches. Also known as Lawson's bearded dragon or Pogona henrylawsoni, they thrive under extremely hot conditions and originate from central Queensland. Rankin's are a lesser-known pet species and require a significantly hotter vivarium than the inland bearded dragon.

    Dwarf Bearded Dragon

    • Western Australia is home to Pogona minor minor, the dwarf bearded dragon. These beardies are actually "beardless," having smooth scales instead of spines in the neck area. You can also find dwarf bearded dragons in the interior of south Australia and the Northern Territory.

    Nullabor Bearded Dragon

    • Pogona nullabor is native to a very small area of Australia, the Nullabor Plain. It is also called the banded bearded dragon because of the white stripes running across its tail and back.

    Kimberley Bearded Dragon

    • Pogona microlepidota is the rarest species of bearded dragon. It has three common names: the Drysdale river bearded dragon, Kimberley bearded dragon or the small-scaled bearded dragon. It is unique to the Kimberley Plateau in northern Western Australia.

    Western Bearded Dragon

    • Western bearded dragons, also known as Pogona minor minima, grow to around 20 inches in length. They have long legs, a slender tail and are slimmer in stature than other species of beardies. Western bearded dragons live in and around the sandy dunes along the coast of Western Australia.

    Northwest Bearded Dragon

    • The smallest species of bearded dragon is Pogona minor mitchelli, the northwest bearded dragon. Adults grow to approximately 8 inches in length and they are sometimes incorrectly categorized as a sub-species of the dwarf bearded dragon because of their size and similar habitat. Pogona minor mitchelli lives in dry woodlands, scrubland and the desert region of northern Western Australia.

    German Giant Bearded Dragon

    • German giant bearded dragons are a bloodline of the pet beardie, Pogona vitticeps, developed by German herpetologists from a group of dragons from the Australian northwest. Reptiles in this region are larger and stronger than other species and the herpetologists created German giant bearded dragons through selective breeding methods.