General Description
Body colour and patterns extremely variable: grey or brown to orange with spots and sometimes a dark stripe along the back from the head to the start of the tail. Males can be very brightly marked, including a blue throat, blue colour washed through the flanks and down the middle of the back and sometimes also bright yellow or orange on the top of the head and neck. Females are duller colours than the males. Up to 7 cm long (snout-vent).
Biology
Painted Dragons feed in open areas, returning to their burrows at the base of bushes. Their beautiful colourations make them popular as pets.
Distribution
Central mainland Australia.
Habitat
Dry sandy regions with grasses and shrublands.
More Information
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Animal Type
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Animal SubType
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Brief Id
Spotted or striped body.
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Colours
Red, Brown, White
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Habitats
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Diet
Carnivore
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Diet Categories
Insects, Invertebrates
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Endemicity
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Commercial
Yes
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Conservation Statuses
CITES: Not listed, FFG Threatened List: Not listed, EPBC Act 1999: Not listed, IUCN Red List: Least Concern
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Taxon Name
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Scientific Author
(Peters, 1866)
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Common Name
Painted Dragon
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Kingdom
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Phylum
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Subphylum
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Class
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Subclass
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Order
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Suborder
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Infraorder
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Family
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Genus
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Species Name
pictus