The Rankins Dragon is a species of agamid lizard that is native to parts of Australia. This species of lizard is a type of Bearded Dragon.
They are sometimes referred to as the Pygmy Bearded Dragon. However, this name is misleading as it is also used for some of the other small Bearded Dragon species.
Other names used for this species include the Black Soiled Bearded Dragon, the Lawson’s Dragon or the Dumpy Dragon.
Rankins Dragon Taxonomy
In the Animal Kingdom, Taxonomy is used as the science and practice of classifying different species and sub-species based on their biological and genetic makeup.
Family
The Rankins Dragon belongs to the Agamidae family of lizards. These lizards are commonly called Agamids and are often referred to as ‘Dragons’.
The Agamid family is a very large family of lizards with over 300 recognised species. They are native to Africa, Asia and Australia while a few species can also be found in Southern Europe.
Agamids are part of the infraorder Iguania which contains other popular families of lizards including Iguanas, Chameleons and Anoles.
The species in this family often have a somewhat similar appearance to iguanas and usually have strong powerful legs.
They also often share characteristics with chameleons such as the ability to slightly change color to regulate their body temperature.
Genus
The genus that this lizard belongs to is called Pogona. The lizards in this genus are known as Bearded Dragons because the underside of their throat looks like a beard.
When most people hear the name ‘Bearded Dragon’ they think of the species of lizard that is commonly kept in captivity.
However, that species is actually the Inland Bearded Dragon, which is just one of the Bearded Dragon species in this genus.
There are actually 8 recognised species of Bearded Dragon including the Inland or Central Bearded Dragon which is the Bearded Dragon that is commonly kept as a pet.
Species
The scientific name for the Rankins Dragon is Pogona henrylawsoni and there are currently no recognised sub-species.
The species wasn’t described until 1985 by Wells and Wellington. It is strange that the species wasn’t formally described until 1985 as it was known to herpetologists well before this.
There is a lot of dispute over the species that Wells and Wellington described as much of the publications weren’t peer reviewed.
However, the Rankins Dragon is now accepted by many herpetologists as a valid species and has been re-published by other authors since 1985.
Rankins Dragon Description
The Rankins Dragon is very similar in appearance to other species of Bearded Dragons but there are a few subtle differences.
This species is smaller in size than the more common Inland Bearded Dragon, growing to an average size of around 10-12 inches in length including their tail.
Females are usually slightly longer than males and tend to have more girth. This is likely to help ease the burden of egg laying.
They are considered to be a ‘pygmy’ or ‘dwarf’ species but they still grow to a relatively large size in comparison to other smaller lizards such as geckos.
The Head of a Rankins Dragon tends to be more rounded than other species of Bearded Dragons.
They have rough, bumpy skin with thorn-like protrusions sticking out all over their body. These thorny scales are not strong enough to cut or injure a person.
They have similar coloration to other types of Bearded Dragons with different shades of brown, tan, grey and green spread along their body. This coloration helps with camouflage in their native environment.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Rankins Dragon can only be found in a small part of Australia. While it is becoming popular in captivity, this lizard cannot be found naturally anywhere else in the world.
This Dragon is native to the Central parts of Queensland which is located in the North-Eastern part of Australia.
The Rankins Dragon lives in the remote inland part of Queensland where the conditions are hot and dry.
Their natural habitat consists of very remote areas so it is difficult to give a precise natural range for this species.
However, they have been reported throughout much of Central Queensland, from Mckinlay in the West to Aramac further East.
The natural environment generally consists of compacted sandy clay or rocky areas. The region has scrubland type vegetation.
Rankins Dragon Behaviour
The Rankins Dragon has many of the same behaviour and traits as other common species such as the Inland Bearded Dragon.
They can often be seen bobbing their heads or waving their hands in a circular motion, which is considered to be a submissive gesture.
During the middle of the day, the Rankins Dragon will often retreat into burrows to escape from the scorching heat.
They are an omnivorous species meaning that their diet consists of both animal and plant-based matter.
