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Common Gliding Lizard

Draco sumatranus

Photo by joycecsy
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

A lizard with elongated ribs and skin flaps on the sides of its body.
When opened, these skin flaps allow it to glide between tree trunks. It is primarily a tree dweller, except that the females come down to the forest floor to lay eggs.

The body length is of about 9 cm, 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. They feed on small insects.

Habitat:

Ranges from southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore to Sumatra and Borneo (including the adjacent Philippine island of Palawan)

http://www.ecologyasia.com/verts/lizards/common_gliding_lizard.htm

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (2)

yup was trying to capture image of the lizard from a far. So it's a Draco
nice camouflage ! - either a Draco sp ( flying lizard) or Calotes sp ( changeable lizard), I think. I like the tree - looks nice and shady...
Photographed
PublishedMay 28, 2012

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