Draco indochinensis

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Draco indochinensis
A very well camouflaged D. indochinensis from Bandipur National Park, India
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Agamidae
Genus: Draco
Species: D. indochinensis
Binomial name
Draco indochinensis
M.A. Smith, 1928[1]

Draco indochinensis, commonly known as the Indo-Chinese flying lizard, is a species of agamid lizard endemic to South-east Asia.

Description

It has earlier been considered synonymous to or a sub-species of Draco blanfordii.[2][3] However, phylogenetic data and other supporting morphological features indicate that it is a separate species.[4] The dewlap of the male of this species is widest at its base and decreases in width over its entire length and terminates in a sharp point, as opposed to the distal expansion of the dewlap seen in Draco blanfordii. This feature may be shared with other Draco lizards. Both sexes have a thick, black transverse band that extends across the posterior gular region from one throat lappet to the other. Dark radial bands on the dorsal surface of the patagia of both sexes is also another feature.

References

  1. Smith MA. 1928. "Description of a new species of Draco from the Indo-Chinese region". Annals and Magazine of Natural History 10 (2): 248.
  2. Inger RF. 1983. "Morphological and ecological variation in the flying lizards (genus Draco)". Fieldiana Zoology New Series 18: 1-35.
  3. Musters CJM. 1983. "Taxonomy of the genus Draco L. (Agamidae, Lacertilia, Reptilia)". Zoologische Verhandelingen 199: 1-120. PDF
  4. McGuire & Heang. 2001. p. 220.

Further reading

  • McGuire, Jimmy A.; Heang, Kiew Bong. 2001. "Phylogenetic systematics of Southeast Asian flying lizards (Iguania: Agamidae: Draco) as inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequence data". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 72: 203-229.

External links


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