Lizard with wings title. For everyone and about everything. Description of the appearance of a reptile

Not only squirrels, snakes, birds and fish fly, but also lizards. Draco Volans or the Flying Dragon is a reptile from the family of agama lizards (a subfamily of Afro-Arabian agamas). They are also called Flying Dragons (lat. Draco) or even simply - dragons.

In size, this creature reaches 20-40 centimeters in length, and its distinguishing feature- this is the presence of clearly expressed "wings". The wings are corrugated skin folds, and thanks to them the lizard is able to fly up to 60 meters.

This is quite enough for the reptile to gracefully soar between neighboring trees. Flying is a very useful skill for a lizard that feeds on insects and grubs. This makes it much easier for her to find food and allows her to quickly and efficiently hunt for prey.

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Usually lizards perch inconspicuously in the tops of trees - when they fold their wings, they almost blend in with the surrounding landscape. And if necessary flying Dragon plans down with lightning speed - and he is able to "fly" both vertically and horizontally, as well as quickly change direction. Each adult dragon individual has its own "hunting ground" - a section of the forest, consisting of several trees located in the neighborhood.

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Of course, the lizard does not fly into full meaning of this word, but rather plans, like a glider or a parachute. " aviation system The structure of these lizards is as follows: they have six enlarged lateral ribs - however, biologists consider them to be false ribs - which are able to extend and spread the skin "sail" (or "wing") for subsequent planning.

Lizards - males have another noticeable difference in external structure. This is a characteristic throat bag - a skin fold.

The skin fold is the main advantage of the male dragon, which he regularly demonstrates, widely pushing and sticking it forward. Anatomically, this feature is due to the presence of processes of the hyoid bone of the lizard, due to which the leathery bag on the throat of the reptile can swell so much. Among other things, it is believed that the skin fold helps the male in the process of flight - by stabilizing his body.

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By itself, the flying dragon has a small, narrow and flattened body. His body is usually uniform in color, usually green. But the wings on the outside are painted in the most exotic and attractive colors - green, yellow, with a purple tint, with spots, specks and even stripes. It's interesting that back side The “wings” of the dragon are no less brightly colored - in spotted lemon or blue.

Where can you find this amazing creation of nature? These wonderful representatives of reptiles live in the untouched corners of Southeast Asia.

Different types of flying dragons are found in tropical jungle South India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. In addition to Draco volans, biologists know about thirty more species of flying dragons. Of these, Draco volans is the most common and famous representative kind of, for which it is also called an ordinary flying dragon.

Video about dragons ....

Millions of years ago. Among them there are unusual specimens that amaze with their unique appearance and abilities.

the site will introduce some of the representatives of ancient reptiles.

flying dragon

This is a miniature fairy tale character. It differs from other species and flying lizards by skin folds on the sides of the body. Thanks to them, they can fly from one tree to another in search of food, over a distance of more than 20 meters. live in South-East Asia.

The family of flying dragon lizards includes about 30 species. They are relatively small in size - up to 21 cm. Moreover, a long and thin tail is half of the entire length. The body is painted in the color of foliage and bark.

In the normal state, the skin folds on the sides are tightly pressed to the body. In flight, they unfold, turning into bright wings of yellow, red or Green colour. And the dragon becomes like a butterfly.

It maneuvers well in flight, changing direction and height, while the tail acts as a rudder. Wings do not flap, but they allow you to soar smoothly in the air.

flying dragon

Lifestyle of flying reptiles

They lead a solitary life, preferring the dense crown of trees. They also feed on larvae. And they themselves are prey for and.

Throat sac of a male flamboyant yellow color. The female is blue or of blue color. Flying dragons do not hibernate. They breed throughout the year.

Having chosen a female, the male demonstrates to her all his advantages - the color of the wings, the throat bag. And he tries to convince her with a kind of “speech”.

If courtship is accepted, then after a while the female descends to the ground and lays 2-5 eggs in a small depression. It covers them with a small layer of earth and leaves its offspring to survive.

Cubs appear in two months immediately with all the skills for independent existence. The life span of flying dragons is up to 5 years.

frilled lizard

Lives in New Guinea. It got its name due to the skin fold around the head, which looks like a collar. It is a regulator of body heat exchange and serves to intimidate enemies. In case of danger, it opens and rises around the head by 30 cm.

The frilled lizard has unusual ability run on hind legs. In this case, the body is held vertically. Strong prehensile paws with sharp claws help them run fast and climb trees.

Attractive wearer

Males reach a size of up to one meter. The long tail is 2/3 of the entire length. The females are much smaller.

During mating season the male attracts his chosen one, showing her his collar in all its glory. After mating, she lays 8-12 eggs in the sand, and after about ten weeks, independent offspring appear.

They lead a solitary life. They mostly live in trees, but if they do not find food there, then they go down to the ground for prey. Omnivorous - feed on plants, rodents, bird eggs.

To scare the enemy frilled lizard rises on its hind legs, at the same time opens its mouth wide and has an orange collar (does not fly). Hisses, strikes long tail on the ground and runs to the enemy. Instantly transforming into incomprehensible creature. Such a transformation throws snakes and dogs to flight.

Moloch - spotted devil

For its frightening appearance, this lizard was named after the pagan god of evil, to whom sacrifices were made.

Her whole body (up to 22 cm) is covered with sharp horny spikes. And they are all different sizes. The spotted devil has the ability to change body color depending on the ambient temperature and lighting. It also lives in the semi-deserts of Australia.

Leads a daily lifestyle. Moves slowly on powerful outstretched legs. Lives in burrows dug in the sand, can completely burrow into it.

What does it eat

Despite the frightening appearance, the Moloch is actually a harmless creature - it feeds exclusively on ants. Catches them with a long sticky tongue. It eats several thousand of these insects per day.

Spotted coloring helps to camouflage well in the sands. In case of danger, Moloch bows his head in front of the enemy, putting forward a horny growth on his head. And significantly increases the size of the body, inflating it.

Her body is covered with sharp horny spikes.

Moloch can change its color within a few minutes, disguising itself as the environment.

How it breeds

Eggs are laid between September and December. The offspring appears after 3-4 months, less than one centimeter in size. They grow slowly and only by about five years old cubs grow to adult size. They live long enough for these reptiles, about twenty years.

leaf gecko

Where do they live

It lives on the islands of Madagascar in the tropics. The unusual leaf-like appearance and coloring similar to the color of the bark of trees makes them invisible. The tail, with irregularities along the edges and veins in the middle, is very similar to a dried leaf. This ability of animals is called mimicry (imitation, disguise).

The second name (satanic gecko) was due to the huge red eyes that see perfectly at night.

The size of these reptiles is 20-30cm. They live in trees, are active night image life, and during the day they hide among the foliage. They feed on insects.

The female lays two eggs several times a year. Incubation period lasts 2-3 months, depending on environmental conditions.

AT wild nature The leaf gecko lives for about eight years. In a well-equipped terrarium up to 20 years.

Small belt-tailed lizards

The name was given for the ring-shaped scales with sharp spikes that encircle the entire body, leaving a small bare area on the stomach. They live in Africa and Madagascar.

In case of danger, belt-tailed lizards curl up into a ring, covering their bare abdomen, and take the tail into their mouths. At the same time, sharp spikes rise on the back. With this ability, they resemble hedgehogs.

During the day they lead an active lifestyle. They take refuge in crevices among rocks and stones. During the dry period, they can hibernate. They live in small groups, in which the male leads.

Belt-tailed lizard video

What do lizards eat

They feed not only on plants, but also on small rodents and even their relatives. They are long-lived, live up to 25 years in the wild.

The offspring are viviparous once a year. Cubs (from one to two) are born up to 6 cm in size and the ability to independent living.

All lizards, both flying and not, tolerate life well in captivity in specially equipped terrariums. You need the appropriate temperature, diet and ventilation for each species.

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The common flying dragon (lat. Draco volans) is a lizard of the Agam family (lat. Agamidae), living on the islands of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java, as well as on the Malay Peninsula, in South Asia and southern India. This reptile has mastered the technique of gliding flight to perfection. The flying dragon usually glides at a low angle, flying about 20 m.

If necessary, he can make a flight without landing up to 100 m long. In flight, the flying dragon relies on an air cushion formed under its “wings”. The "wings" are broad skin folds on the sides of the body, called the flight membrane, and are supported by highly elongated false ribs. The articulation of these ribs with the spine allows the reptile to quickly open and close the flying membrane.

Behavior

Flying dragons settle in rain tropical forests, where all year round there is a stifling heat with high humidity and minimal temperature fluctuations. For life, they choose the upper tiers of the jungle and lead exclusively tree image life, descending to earth only in exceptional cases.

In search of food, the lizard flies from tree to tree, skillfully controlling the direction, speed and range of flight with the help of a tail and a flying membrane. Before the start, the flying dragon abruptly jumps up and straightens the flying membrane, and gently folds it upon landing.

The basis of the lizard's diet is wood ants and various insects, which it simply licks from the bark of a tree. Flying dragons communicate with each other using pretty complex language signs made by throat pouches. Having met a relative, the reptile sticks out a brightly colored throat sac and begins to give them signs.

If a thought so convincingly expressed does not reach the mind of a stranger, then the flying dragon boldly rushes into battle and drives him out of his territory. Most often, such communication can take quite a long time, and, having talked enough, the reptiles scatter about their business. Biologists have not yet been able to decipher the code on which representatives of this species communicate with each other.

reproduction

Flying dragons breed throughout the year and never hibernate. Having met the female, the male carefully shows her his charms and demonstrates the flying membrane. The demonstration is reinforced by a "highly artistic speech" with the help of a throat pouch. Only a good flyer and speaker gets the right to procreate.

After a few courtesies, the female leaves the male and descends to the ground to build a nest. The nest is a small hole dug in loose or sandy soil where the female lays 2 to 5 eggs. She covers the masonry with a layer of earth and leaves it to the mercy of fate.

After 1-2 months, little dragons are born from the eggs, completely ready for independent life. Immediately after birth, they rush up to the crowns of trees, where they can feel relatively safe. Flying dragons have plenty of enemies. Snakes and birds love to feast on them, because the ability to fly is not a luxury for them, but the only way to survive in the wild jungle.

Description

The body length of adults usually does not exceed 22 cm, and the tail length is 20 cm. The body is greenish-bronze with numerous dark specks. Elongated articular ribs serve as a framework for the flight membrane. It is bright red with black spots, very large in proportion to the lizard's body.

The body is thin, slender, covered with small scales. The voluminous throat bag serves for communication. Big eyes allow very accurate distance estimation.

On the sides of the head are black and white pterygoid protrusions that form an additional bearing surface. The long thin tail acts as a rudder in the air. Long fingers are armed with sharp claws that make it easier to climb trees.

The life span of an ordinary flying dragon is on average about 5 years.

Surely in one of the articles on our website we have already surprised you with the fact that they exist. But this is far from the only reptile species that can travel distances through the air. So, we will tell you about the type of lizard Draco volans, which in Latin means "flying dragon".

Flying dragons belong to the Agamidae family, a subfamily of the Afro-Arabian dragons. The habitats of these outlandish reptiles are located in remote corners of Southeast Asia. Flying dragons live in trees rainforest the islands of Borneo, Sumatra, the Philippines, as well as in the South-Eastern part of India, Indonesia and Malaysia.

In nature, there are about 30 species capable of flying. But the species Draco volans is the most common, although not fully understood due to the hidden lifestyle of these reptiles.

Flying dragons are not at all the size of their thesque cartoon characters. The size of this reaches 20-40 centimeters in length. Moreover, the color of flying dragons is not very noticeable - from plain green to gray-brown. This allows them to merge with environment habitat. But here is a distinctive feature of flying dragons - wide skin folds on the sides of a flattened body, which, when the “false ribs” between which they are stretched, form bright “wings”, allow these lizards to soar in the air, moving freely up and down and changing the trajectory movement at a distance of up to 60 meters.

The structure of the "wings" of flying dragons is very peculiar. The lateral ribs of this lizard are significantly enlarged in size compared to the rest of the skeleton structure and are able to straighten the skin folds stretched between them. The resulting "wings" have a bright and variegated color - they are green, yellow, purple, with a tint, a transition, with spots, specks and stripes.

An interesting fact is that males in the throat area have hallmark- bright orange skin fold. At the same time, for the male sex, this distinctive feature is considered a virtue, which they willingly demonstrate by sticking it forward. From the point of view of biologists, this anatomical feature is a process of the hyoid bone of males, which helps them during the flight, stabilizing the body.

In general, gliding in the air for flying dragons is in itself a very useful skill that nature has endowed them with. It helps them escape from predators.

The diet of these reptiles includes insects, mainly ants, as well as insect larvae. Flying dragons live and hunt strictly in a certain area, which, as a rule, consists of several neighboring trees. These descend from the trees only in case of an unsuccessful flight, or for laying eggs.

These flying dragons practically do not consume water, they get enough of it from the food they consume. It is also worth noting that flying dragons have a well-developed hearing organ, which allows them to hear the approach of prey long before it appears near the reptile.

Unfortunately, the reproduction process and life span of flying dragons have not yet been fully studied. The only thing that biologists managed to find out is that the females lay their eggs in the crevices of the bark of trees. Baby flying dragons appear after a few weeks and can fly from the moment they hatch.

The flying lizard (Draco volans) belongs to the agama lizard family, the scaly order. The specific name Draco volans translates as "common flying dragon".

Distribution of the flying lizard.

The flying lizard is found in the tropical rainforests of southern India and southeast Asia. This species is distributed in the Philippine Islands, including Borneo.

Habitat of the flying lizard.

The flying lizard is found mostly in the tropics with enough trees for the reptile to live.

External signs of a flying lizard.

The flying lizard has large "wings" - leathery outgrowths on the sides of the body. These formations are supported by elongated ribs. They also have a flap called a dewlap that sits under the head. The body of the flying lizard is very flat and elongated. The male is about 19.5 cm long and the female is 21.2 cm long. The tail is about 11.4 cm long for the male and 13.2 cm for the female.

Distinguished from other Dracos by rectangular brown spots located on the upper part of the wing membranes and black spots below. Males have a bright yellow dewlap. The wings are bluish on the ventral side and brown on the dorsal side. The female has a slightly smaller dewlap and a bluish-gray hue. In addition, on the ventral side, the wings are yellow.

Reproduction of the flying lizard.

The breeding season for flying lizards is presumably December-January. Males and sometimes females show marital behavior. They spread their wings and tremble all over when they collide with each other. The male also fully spreads his wings and in this state bypasses the female three times, inviting to mate. The female builds a nest for eggs, forming a small hole with her head. There are five eggs in the clutch, she fills them with earth, tamping the soil with the pops of her head.

For almost a day, the female actively guards the eggs. Then she leaves the clutch. Development lasts about 32 days. Small flying lizards can immediately fly.

Flying lizard behavior.

Flying lizards hunt during the day. They are active in the morning and afternoon. Flying lizards rest at night. Such life cycle allows you to avoid the daytime period with greatest intensity Sveta. Flying lizards do not fly in the full sense of the word.

They climb trees and jump. While jumping, the lizards spread their wings and glide towards the ground, covering a distance of about 8 meters.

Before flying, lizards turn their heads down towards the ground, gliding through the air helps the lizards move. Lizards do not fly during rainy and windy periods.

To avoid danger, lizards spread their wings and glide down. Adults are extremely mobile and very difficult to catch. When the male encounters other lizard species, he displays several behavioral responses. They partially open their wings, vibrate with their bodies, 4) fully open their wings. Thus, males try to frighten the enemy by showing enlarged body shapes. And the female is attracted by beautiful, spread wings. Males are territorial and actively guard their home range from intrusion, which usually has two to three trees and one to three females. Female lizards are clear contenders for marital relations. Males defend their territory from other males who do not have their own territory and compete for females.

Why lizards can fly?

Flying lizards have adapted to living in trees. Coloring skin flying dragons of solid green, gray - green, gray-brown color merges with the color of the bark and leaves.

This allows them to remain invisible if the lizards are sitting on branches. And the bright "wings" make it possible to freely soar in the air, crossing space at a distance of up to sixty meters. Spread "wings" are painted in green, yellow, purple hues, decorated with spots, speckles and stripes. The lizard does not fly like a bird, but rather glides like a glider or parachute. For flight, these lizards have six enlarged lateral ribs, the so-called false ribs, which, straightening out, put forward a leathery “wing”. In addition, males have a prominent bright orange skin fold in the throat area. They, in any case, try to demonstrate this distinctive feature to the enemy, sticking him forward.

Flying dragons practically do not drink, they compensate for the lack of liquid from food. They easily determine the approach of prey by ear. For camouflage, flying lizards fold their wings when perched in trees.