''Draco volans'', also commonly known as the common flying dragon, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Agamidae Agamidae is a family (biology), family of over 300 species of iguanian lizards indigenous to Africa, Asia, Australia, and a few in Southern Europe. Many species are commonly called dragons or dragon lizards. Overview phylogenetics, Phylogenetic ...

. The species is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...

. www.reptile-database.org. Like other members of genus ''

Draco Draco is the Latin word for serpent or dragon. Draco or Drako may also refer to: People * Draco (lawgiver) (from Greek: Δράκων; 7th century BC), the first lawgiver of ancient Athens, Greece, from whom the term ''draconian'' is derived * ...

'', this species has the ability to glide using winglike lateral extensions of skin called

patagia The patagium (plural: patagia) is a membranous Animal body, body part that assists an animal in obtaining lift (force), lift when gliding flight, gliding or flight. The structure is found in extant taxon, extant and extinct groups of flying and g ...

.Crew, Bec (2014
"Flying dragon lizard a true gliding reptile".
''Australian Geographic''. 29 May 2014.

Description

''Draco volans'' grows to a length of up to , including the tail. The body is tan in color with dark flecks. The patagium of the male is tan to bright orange with dark banding. The female's patagium has irregular markings rather than banding.
EcologyAsia.

Courtship

The coloration of the patagia and the

dewlap A dewlap is a longitudinal flap of skin or similar flesh that hangs beneath the lower jaw or neck of many vertebrates. More loosely, it can be various similar structures in the neck area, such as those caused by a double chin or the submandibula ...

play key roles in the courtship of ''D. volans'', with the males stretching out and displaying their patagia and dewlaps to get the attention of the females.

Behaviour

''Draco volans'' is diurnal, and is "commonly seen running along branches, displaying, and gliding". The species is exclusively

arboreal Arboreal locomotion is the Animal locomotion, locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some animals may scale trees only occasionally, but others are exclusively arboreal. Th ...

Diet

''Draco volans'' feeds mainly on ants, and possibly other insects (such as termites). A study was conducted in Eastern

Mindanao Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...

, Philippines, which found that the species exclusively feeds on ants.

Habitat

''Draco volans'' is commonly found in early

second growth forest A secondary forest (or second-growth forest) is a forest or woodland area which has re-grown after a timber harvest or clearing for agriculture, until a long enough period has passed so that the effects of the disturbance are no longer evident. ...

s, in open secondary forest, and on forest edges. This species can be found in tropical rainforests in

Locomotion

The "wings" of ''D. volans'' are supported by its ribs, which form the skeleton of the patagia. However, its elongated ribs are superadded to aid forming its "wings", and not to assist respiration. This species is considered a passive glider, or parachutist. However, previous studies have also shown that it can be considered a gliding animal. This means that it doesn't have to deal with the aerodynamic and metabolic imperatives required for active flight.

Reproduction

The female common flying dragon digs a hole in the soil to serve as a nest, and lays eggs in it.

References

* Boulenger GA (1885). ''Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume I. Geckonidæ, Eublepharidæ, Uroplatidæ, Pygopodidæ, Agamidaæ''. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 436 pp. + Plates I–XXXII. (''Draco volans'', p. 256). * Cox MJ, van Dijk PP, Nabhitabhata J, Thirakhupt K (1998). ''A Photographic Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand''. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 144 pp. . (''Draco volans'', p. 101). * Linnaeus C (1758). ''Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, diferentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio Decima, Reformata.'' Stockholm: L. Salvius. 824 pp. (''Draco volans'', new species, pp. 199–200). (in Latin). {{Taxonbar, from=Q612564

volans Volans is a constellation in the southern sky. It represents a flying fish; its name is a shortened form of its original name, Piscis Volans. Volans was one of twelve constellations created by Petrus Plancius from the observations of Pieter Dirks ...

Reptiles of the Philippines Reptiles of Indonesia Reptiles described in 1758 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus