Origin
The more than 200 species of the Flying Dragon family (Agamidae) are recognized by the acrodonta dentition, different from that of the iguanas, which is pleurodonta.
The Flying Lizard belongs to the order Squamata and the family Agamidae.
Flying Dragon food
In most of the species of this family the food consists of insects; some of them can also feed on fruits, leaves and herbs.
As food they prefer small insects, ants and termites, which they hunt, waiting under trees until they appear on the bark. The flying dragon is a diurnal animal, in the morning and in the hot afternoons it hides, however, from the sunlight.
It is also known as the "Flying Lizard". It is found in tropical forest and secular forest regions of Southeast Asia, especially in North India and Indonesia.
Features flying Dragon
The dentition of agamids is characterized by a differentiation between incisors, canines and molars. Their tongue is short, fleshy and concreted along its entire length. The tail is not as fragile as in other lizards and does not break so easily.
Of course, what sets them apart from all other lizards is, first of all, their ability to fly, unprecedented in any other species. The dragon or flying lizard is a common presence in the tropical forests of Southwest Asia and India.
Their body shows an interesting coloring with orange, red and blue spots, which allow them to camouflage when in danger.
On both sides of the body draco volans has attached a thin skin membrane. Stretched to the maximum with the help of elongated movable ribs this membrane allows it to hover even 8 m among the trees.
The dimensions of this lizard can reach from 19 to 23 cm., being harmless animals for larger vertebrates or for humans.
On each side of the body it has 5-6 extended ribs, which carry a membrane like a kind of semicircular parachute, which is tightened near the body when the lizard is in a state of rest and is stretched especially when the lizard makes jumps.
The parachute is not related to the legs, it serves to float between the trunks of trees and avoid predators, such as snakes and birds. When he wants to jump, he pushes his ribs out, opens his skin folds wide, takes off and then when he lands closes his folds back.
It has the ability to make jumps over distances of 10-20 m and bypass obstacles during flight, by moving the tail and folds.
Being an arboreal reptile, it does not descend to earth unless forced. In the jungle they can be very difficult to observe, only when the vivid color of the male's gular sac stands out, otherwise they are perfectly camouflaged.
Breeding flying Dragon
During the mating season, the male stretches his brightly colored flight membrane in front of the female and begins to revolve around it. Many lizards use this movement both for mating and for defense.
Reproduction is oviparous, the female leaves the safety of the trees to lay the 8-12 eggs on the ground, in sand or soil. After hatching, the chicks have a body length of 2.5 cm and a tail length of 4 cm.
