Species:
Draco volans
Common Flying Dragon
Some other names for this species:
Common Gliding Lizard
Subspecies I've seen:
Subspecies:
Draco volans boschmai
Common Flying Dragon
October 23, 1999
Loho Liang, Komodo, Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
These marvellous lizards were plentiful around the dock and park headquarters on Komodo. They spend their time eating ants on trees, usually on branchless expanses of trunk. When scared, they dash up the tree. When particularly scared, or just in the mood for a change of scenery, they leap into the air, spread out their elongated ribs that are connected by a flattened membrane, and glide to another tree. The one in the first picture here is posing with its gliding "wings" partly extended. In the second picture it's showing off its pointy yellow dewlap, thus marking its territory and no doubt impressing the female lizards.
Subspecies:
Draco volans volans
Common Flying Dragon
October 18, 1999
Puri Kamandalu, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Here's a different subspecies in its typical position hugging a tree. You'd never guess this lizard was ready to "fly" to the nearest tree at any moment.