#draco volans

[podartists]

The Flying Dragon | The Naturalist's Miscellany v.1 | Biodiversity Heritage Library | Flickr

[lizardsdaily]

🦎 Common Flying Dragon - Draco volans 

📷 Zhao1967

[lovingexotics]

Flying Dragon Draco volans Source: Here

[thexenobiologist]

How lizards fly: A novel type of wing in animals

Flying lizards of the genus Draco are renowned for their gliding ability, using an aerofoil formed by winglike patagial membranes and supported by elongated thoracic ribs. It remains unknown, however, how these lizards manoeuvre during flight. Here, I present the results of a study on the aerial behaviour of Dussumier's Flying Lizard (Draco dussumieri) and show that Draco attaches the forelimbs to the leading edge of the patagium while airborne, forming a hitherto unknown type of composite wing. The attachment of the forelimbs to the patagium suggests that that aerofoil is controlled through movements of the forelimbs. One major advantage for the lizards is that the forelimbs retain their complete range of movement and functionality for climbing and running when not used as a part of the wing. These findings not only shed a new light on the flight of Draco but also have implications for the interpretation of gliding performance in fossil species.

Turns out that Draco volans lizards can actually grasp their patagium like a cape when they glide!

[mindblowingfactz]

These little guys technically aren’t dragons, but they are flying lizards, which seems pretty close. The tiny lizards are known as “Draco volans.”

[nemfrog]

“Skeleton of Draco volans,” the common flying lizard. On the anatomy of vertebrates. Vol.1. 1866. 

[bugboy2]

Day 11- run Draco volans thief

[artistsanimals]

Title: Flugdrache Date: 1863 From: Brehm’s Tierleben Source: New York Public Library