CLASSIFICATION OF DRACO : FLYING LIZARD
PHYLUM :- CHORDATA (Notochord, dorsal tubular nerve cord present and gill slits present )
Group :- CRANIATA ( Definite head. Cranium with brain present )
Sub-phylum :- VERTEBRATA ( vertebral column present)
Division :- GNATHOSTOMATA ( Jaws and paired appendages present )
Super class :- TETRAPODA ( Paired limbs, lungs, bony skeleton and cornified skin)
Class :- REPTILIA ( Scaly vertebrates with right and left aortic arches. Single condyle, pulmonary respiration. Embryo with amnion and allantois ).
Sub-class :- DIAPSIDA ( Skull with two temporal openings separated by postorbital and squamosal ).
Order :- SQUAMATA ( Lizards and snakes with horny epidermal scales or shields. Quadrate bone movable. Vertebrae procoelous. Anal opening transverse).
Sub-order :- SAURIA ( Lizards. Body slender, limbs 4. Pterygoid in contact with quadrate. Eyelids
movable ).
Family :- AGAMIDAE ( limbs normal. Teeth differentiated ).
Genus :- Draco
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
Draco is commonly distributed in Myanmar, India, Malayasia, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.
HABIT AND HABITAT
Draco is arboreal, living on trees. It feeds on small insects.
GENERAL CHARACTERSTICS OF DRACO : FLYING LIZARD
- Commonly known as flying dragon or flying lizard.
- Body is dorsoventrally compressed, measuring 15 to 22 cm in length and divided into head, neck, trunk and tail.
- Head is more or less triangular and contains eyes, tympanum behind eyes and nostril. Eyes are small with eyelids. Teeth heterodont and attached to the edges of the jaws.
- Tongue is thick and short. Some animals have thoracic sac or dorsal spine.
- Neck contains three hooks forming flap like appendages. Below the neck there are sac-like structures known as gular pouches, which are larger in males than females and they help in copulation.
- Forelimbs and hind limbs normal.
- On both sides of the body wing or patagium formed by extension of skin is present. Patagium is supported by lateral ribs.
- Tail long, slender and whip-like
SPECIAL FEATURES
Draco or flying lizard shows extreme adaptation for flying life and thus avoids its enemies on the ground. Most significant structures are membranous wings or patagia, which to volplane from a height. Flying lizard is adapted for climbing and gliding from higher to lower branches. Draco is brilliantly and beautifully coloured like flowers of trees in which it lives and thus it shows camouflage (mimicry).
IDENTIFICATION
This lizard contains patagium and above features, hence it is Draco or flying lizard.
REFERENCES
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draco_(genus)
- Book of Practical Zoology VERTEBRATE by S.S.LAL – Rastogi Publications.
- SOURCES OF IMAGES – https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fcritter.science%2Fthe-flying-dragon-lizards%2F&psig=AOvVaw0areRN3jwm45wt2GIByiAc&ust=1603089774257000&source=images&cd=vfe &ved=2ahUKEwj nicn1xL3sAhX4k 0sFHVC3A50Qr 4kDegUIARC8A Q
- https://www.go ogle.com/url? sa=i&url=https% 3A%2F%2Fin.pin terest.com%2Fpi n%2F535646949 433183558%2F& psig=AOvVaw0a reRN3jwm45wt2 GIByiAc&ust=1603089774257000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=2ahUKEwjnicn1xL3sAhX4k0sFHVC3A50Qr4kDegUIARDIAQ
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