Wednesday, January 6, 2016

The common gliding lizard


 From a distance it looked like any ordinary house lizard.  I thought I just get a shot of it since it was found crawling up a tree at the Botanic Island Two.  After transferring the picture into the computer I saw something interesting.  Zooming in at the image I was taken aback.  It was in fact a gliding lizard (Draco sumatranus) which I have seen in many occasions  gliding from one branch to another tree or branch at the park.  On closer viewing I found another interesting feature.  The camera caught the lizard's 'gular fold' which is a triangular flap or skin under the chin.  This special feature is used to communicate with other lizards, mostly for mating purposes.
Common gliding lizard showing its yellow  'gular fold' and the sides of the body with  the skin flaps (partly seen) .  The flaps when open will allow it to glide between tree trunks.



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