Types of Bearded Dragons
Species
In the wild, there are several different types of Bearded Dragon species. All Bearded Dragons originate from Australia and may be found in various regions of the continent. For instance, a Pogona vitticeps (the Bearded Dragon species that is often found available for sale in the pet industry) can be found in Central Australia, hence the reason it is known as a Central (or Inland) Bearded Dragon.
| Scientific Name | Common Name |
|---|---|
| Pogona vitticeps | Central/Inland Bearded Dragon |
| Pogona barbata | Eastern Bearded Dragon |
| Pogona henrylawsoni | Rankin's Bearded Dragon |
| Pogona microlepidota | Small-scaled Bearded Dragon |
| Pogona minima | Abrolhos Dwarf Bearded Dragon |
| Pogona minor | Dwarf Bearded Dragon |
| Pogona mitchelli | Mitchell's Bearded Dragon |
| Pogona nullarbor | Nullarbor Bearded Dragon |
Morphs
In captivity, Bearded Dragons have been bred to feature various patterns, colors, and other types of traits. In brief, these unique Bearded Dragons are known as Bearded Dragon morphs. In other words, these reptiles are variant forms of a standard Bearded Dragon.
Scale Type
- Normal.
- Leatherback.
- Dunner.
- Silkback.
The scale type refers to the actual scales of the reptile. For example, a Bearded Dragon with normal scales will have rigid scales all over its body. In contrast, a leatherback Bearded Dragon will have a very smooth back (lacking rigid scales). Furthermore, a dunner Bearded Dragon will have scales that point in different directions (lacking symmetry) while a silkback Bearded Dragon will lack scales completely (extremely soft skin).
Colors
- Yellow.
- Red.
- Orange.
- White.
- Silver.
- Gray.
- Mixed.
A wild Bearded Dragon may have basic colors such as tan, yellow, or shades of green. Although, Bearded Dragons in the pet industry have been bred to feature “eye-catching” colors that really standout. For example, some Bearded Dragon morphs may be completely red, yellow, or even white. In addition, some Bearded Dragons may have a variety of colors on their body such as orange and red together. Overall, there’s a lot of options as far as color goes when it comes to captive Bearded Dragons.
Other Traits
- Hypomelanistic.
- Translucent.
Some Bearded Dragon morphs may have specific traits. For instance, a hypomelanistic Bearded Dragon (or hypo for short) is a Bearded Dragon with clear white nails rather than black nails. Also, a hypo Bearded Dragon will often be lighter in color rather than darker. Moving on, a translucent Bearded Dragon will have solid black eyes and transparent/translucent skin.