The Inland Bearded Dragon, also known as the Central Bearded Dragon has an expandable ‘rounded beard’ that include a row of spines across the throat, two rows of spines along the flanks and spines across the head. With a broad, shaped head, rounded body, stout legs and robust tail, the colour is variable and depend on the soil region that they live in. Colours can range from a dusty gold, dull brown to tan, sometimes with grey to red-orange or gold highlights.

The adult bearded dragons are territorial, with aggressive and appeasement displays being part of their social interactions. Both male and female of the species have beards. The beard turns dark, becoming black as it expands, and often the mouth opens in a wide gape, to appear more intimidating.
 

As the common name indicates, the ‘Inland Bearded Dragon’ is found throughout the central inland areas of Australia, mainly the outback regions of the eastern states, through to the south-eastern parts of the Northern Territory and the eastern parts of South Australia.

The Central Bearded Dragon is found in the semi-arid, rocky desert and arid arid woodland regions. They can be seen perched on a tree limb, fencepost, or rock usually during the early morning and late afternoon, and like most desert wildlife they spend the hottest parts of the day hiding from the direct sunlight and heat.