Draco sumatranus

Draco sumatranus, the common gliding lizard, is a species of agamid lizard endemic to Southeast Asia. It has elongated ribs and skin flaps on the sides of its body. When opened, these skin flaps allow it to glide between tree trunks.

Common gliding lizard
Male Draco sumatranus extending gular flap at Kent Ridge Park, Singapore
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Agamidae
Genus: Draco
Species:
D. sumatranus
Binomial name
Draco sumatranus
Schlegel, 1844
Synonyms
  • Draco viridis var. sumatrana Schlegel, 1844
  • Draco volans sumatranus
    — Musters, 1983
  • Draco sumatranus
    — McGuire & Heang, 2001[1]

Behavior

It is primarily a tree dweller, except that the females come down to the forest floor to lay eggs.

Description

The body length is of about 9 cm (3.5 in), with a slightly longer tail. The body is of a dark grey/brown colouration with stripes and patterns to help it camouflage against the tree trunks. The males have a yellow triangular flap of skin under the chin, the gular fold, which is used to communicate with other lizards, mostly for mating. Females have a much smaller and blue flap.

Diet

They feed on small insects. Usually ants and termites.

Habitat

They are relatively common in forests and in urban settings such as parks and gardens.

Geographic range

They are found in Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Palawan.

Taxonomy

It was formerly considered a sub-species of Draco volans.[2]

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References
  1. The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  2. http://www.ecologyasia.com/verts/lizards/common_gliding_lizard.htm

Further reading
  • Baker, Nick; Lim, Kelvin. 2008. Wild Animals of Singapore: A Photographic Guide to Mammals, Reptiles, Amphibians and Freshwater Fishes. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. 180 pp. ISBN 978-981-05-9459-6.
  • Das I. 2006. A Photographic Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Borneo. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Publishing Inc. 144 pp. ISBN 0-88359-061-1. (Draco sumatranus, p. 80).
  • Schlegel H. [1837 -] 1844. Abbildungen neuer oder unvollständing bekannter AMPHIBIEN, nach der Natur oder dem Leben entworfen, herausgegeben und mit einem erläuternden Texte begleitet. Düsseldorf: Arnz & Comp. xiv + 141 pp. (Draco viridis var. sumatrana, p. 91).


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