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Downs bearded dragon

downs bearded dragon (Pogona henrylawsoni)
Winton, Queensland
Photo © Stephen Zozaya
Pogona henrylawsoni - Wells & Wellington, 1985
Pronunciation  poh-GO-na   HEN-ree-LAW-sun-ee
Etymology  Pogona: From the Greek pogon, meaning beard, refering to the small frill or ruff around the neck of these lizards.
henrylawsoni: "Named for Henry Lawson (17 June, 1867 to 2 September, 1922) Australian poet and philosopher."1
Other names  Lawson's bearded dragon
prairie dragon
black soil bearded dragon
Rankin's bearded dragon
dumpy dragon
plains bearded dragon
dwarf bearded dragon
Amphibolurus rankini
Pogona brevis
 
 
Snout-to-vent length
Species avg: 14.8 cm
Reproduction
Oviparous
Clutch size
Description Distribution Natural history Conservation Further information More photos

Natural history

I have noticed that the name "Rankin's Dragon" for Pogonahenrylawsoni is in fairly wide use. This name is inappropriate. As Iam one of the people who originally named the species Pogona henrylawsoni I would like to place on record how this confusion came about.Back in 1978 when I was researching the taxonomy of Australia'sreptile fauna, I was given some live specimens of this species by anoted Australian field herpetologist Mr Grant Husband who hadearlier secured them on a collecting trip to Queensland. He waspuzzled at their identity, and sought my assistance in theiridentification. Actually this dwarf black-soil species had been longknown one of Australia's leading herpetologists, the late EricWorrell, but no one else other than a few amateur herpetologistsreally considered that it was valid. The establishment was not quitesure of what to do about such unusual beardeds, because of thepresence of a number of other dwarf species that similarly may haverequired formal recognition. Generally, they were all just regardedas being referable to Amphibolurus minor but this had no logicalbasis at all. However, there had been a long-awaitedreclassification of the then "Amphibolurus barbatus" species-groupsee Australian Journal of Zoology, (1976) 24: 423-443 and none ofthese dwarf species were formally recognized much to theastonishment of field herpetologists. I expressed interest informally naming the species when I was working in the AustralianMuseum, and initially intended naming the species after Dr Allen E.Greer the then curator/research scientist at the A.M. Greer withcharacteristic modesty declined the offer to have the species namedafter him, so then it was suggested that I name it Amphibolurusdumpyi towards the end of 1978. Its common name at the timewas "Dumpy Dragon" because of its overall appearance. As themanuscript was nearing completion, our colleague and friend the latePeter Rankin was accidentally killed in New Caledonia. In an attemptto honour Peter, I decided using the name "Amphibolurus rankini" forthe species. The problem however was complicated by the fact that Ibelieved that the species was so distinctive that it should also beplaced within a new genus. However, before I could publish the newdescription of this new species/genus, the name Amphibolurus rankiniwas leaked to the herp community, and it became widely used almostovernight, making the name a nomen nudum, because its use actuallypreceded the original description. This name then could not be used,because a new generic name cannot be founded upon a type speciesname that is nomen nudum! Consequently, and as a result of otherfactors, my original description of this dwarf species was againdelayed. Unbeknown to me, Glen Storr of the Western AustralianMuseum had arrived at the same conclusions in regards to the genericdistinctiveness of the bearded dragons, and erected the new name ofPogona for the Group in 1982. In 1983 as I prepared the final typedescription, I noticed that there was in fact another speciesinvolved as well, so I decided to again delay publication until Icould obtain further material of this other species. However, I wasunable to get access to any other collections following thepublication of the "Synopsis of the Class Reptilia in Australia" inMarch 1984. I included a brief description of the species inthe "Classification" paper of September 1985 as Pogona henrylawsonito finally have the species described. A final twist to this sagacame about several years later, as arguments raged about whether ourpapers of 1984 and 1985 should be suppressed by the InternationalCommission of Zoological Nomenclature in London. A lot of peoplebecame very sure that our works would be suppressed, and began tomerrily redescribe some of our new species and genera as their own,believing that upon the formal suppression of our names, theirswould have precedence and therefore be validated as the nextavailable names after ours. Unfortunately, their little dreams ofintellectual piracy failed, and it was they who were in fact throwninto synonymy. One of the worst examples of this was in factperpetrated in the erection of the name Pogona brevis - anotheroccasionally used, but invalid name for Pogona henrylawsoni.On that Common Name issue, I think more suitable common names areLawson's Dragon, Plains Bearded Dragon, Dwarf Bearded Dragon, oreven Dumpy Dragon - but certainly not Rankin's Dragon - as much as Iwould have liked to have had this be the case. As a matter ofinterest, I still have that single specimen of that other species ofbeardie related to Pogona henrylawsoni - and it is an amazingcreature that has so far not been formally described. I doubt ifanyone else in Australian herpetology is even aware of itsexistence...perhaps I may name this one too...any suggestions for aname?Best Wishes,Richard Wells

Diet

Notes and disclaimer
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  Pogona henrylawsoni at the Australian Reptile Online Database. Last updated 2017-06-15 12:31:47.
  Retrieved from http://arod.com.au/arod/?species=Pogona+henrylawsoni on the 29th of March, 2024.
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