Family : AGAMIDAE
Species : Draco taeniopterus
Size (snout to vent) : 8 cm
Size (total length) : ~ 24 cm

The Barred Gliding Lizard is one of the smaller species of the genus Draco: males have a snout-vent length of 8 cm, and females are slightly smaller. It occurs in lowland forest, and is generally found less than 10 metres above the ground (Grismer, 2011). Like other species of Draco, it probably feeds on small ants.

Its body is relatively slender, its neck is relatively long and its head is somewhat bulbous.

The elongated part of the gular flag, or dewlap, in males is yellow and bears enlarged scales, and the base of the gular flag and the area underneath the lappets is red. The gular flag in females is smaller, triangular in shape and is partly reddish.

The ground colour of the body is brown, with poorly defined darker and lighter mottling, and vague, narrow, dark banding.

The upper surface of the gliding membrane, or patagium, bears greenish-yellow and blackish banding, and has a dull red border. 

This species occurs in Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and the extreme north of Peninsular Malaysia (Perlis state, and a single, remote island in Kedah state).

Figs 1 and 2 : Male specimen from Kaeng Krachan, Thailand. It was photographed mid-morning, low down on a tree trunk at the edge of a streamside trail through dense lowland forest.  Photos thanks to Charles Currin.


References :

Grismer, L. L. (2011). Lizards of Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, and their Adjacent Archipelagos. Their Description, Distribution, and Natural History. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main. 728 pp.