#flying dragon lizard

January 16h is #AppreciateADragonDay so let's appreciate this wee Flying Dragon Lizard (Draco spp., probably D. viridis) painted in the 19th century:

Marianne North (English, 1830-1890) Flowers and Fruit of the Pomelo, a Branch of Hennah and Flying Lizard, Sarawak, 1876 oil on board H 36.4 x W 45.1 cm [Kew Gardens Marianne North Gallery #MN552]

BTW like their aboreal junglemates the flying snakes and flying frogs, flying draco lizards don't really fly, they glide...but it's still really cool :)

Take Flight by SandScales

Flying Dragon Lizard (Draco volan)

The Flying Lizard is found in tropical rain forests in southern India and Southeast Asia. This includes the Philippine Islands as well as Borneo

The flying lizard is found mainly in rain forests and tropical areas that can provide adequate number of trees for the lizard to jump from

The Flying Lizard is a diurnal species. Though it bears the word flying, this species is only capable of gliding through the air

The Flying Lizard is generally an insectivore, feeding mostly on small ants and termites. The lizard is described as a sit and wait feeder, meaning it will generally sit next to a tree trunk waiting for the ants to come to it. When the ant or termite is close enough, the lizard is able to pick it up without shifting its own body

Males, and sometimes females, will display during breeding season. These displays include spreading of the wings and bobbing, and males will also spread their dewlap. Females only show displays in order to stop or prevent copulation

A thin membrane covers false ribs extending outward from the flying dragon’s body. Supported by this membrane, the animal can glide 50 feet or more after leaping from a tall tree. It can turn in the air, and even return to the tree from which it jumped

Video

Flying Dragon Lizard

Native to Southeast Asia

A tree-dwelling lizard that can glide through the air from tree to tree

It grows to about eight inches long

A thin membrane covers false ribs extending outward from the flying dragon's body. Supported by this membrane, the animal can glide 50 feet or more after leaping from a tall tree. It can turn in the air, and even return to the tree from which it jumped

Draco volans, or the Flying Dragon

The Flying Dragons are native to the southwest tropical forests of Asia and India, including Borneo and the Philippine Islands.

they get their name by the flaps of skin they have that enable them to glide from tree to tree. they are able to glide for up to 25 feet, but can not sustain flight like a bird can, but still gliding that far is pretty impressive! they are able to spread their ribs extend their skin flaps that help them glide, their skeleton is very interesting to see how this is achieved.