Vertebrate fauna of SE Asia
  

 

Home  
——————————  
SE Asia fauna ...  
   
Primates
 Carnivorans
 Large Mammals
 Small Mammals
 Mammal calls
 Bats
—————
Birds
—————
 Snakes
 Lizards & Crocodilians
 Turtles
—————
 Amphibians
 Tadpoles
 Frog calls
—————
Freshwater Fishes
 Marine & Brackish Fishes
—————
Species Lists
 





 


 
——————————  
SE Asia Vert Records (SEAVR) ...  
   
Philippines Records
  Indochina Records
  Indonesia & PNG Records
 
——————————  
New Guinea herptiles ...  
Snakes   Lizards   Frogs  
——————————  
   
  New pages ...
 
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
——————————  
 

Search this site ...

 
 


   

 
  ——————————  
  Email :


Text and photos by Nick Baker, unless otherwise credited.
Copyright © Ecology Asia 2021

 
 
     
   
   

 

   
   
 
Sumatran Gliding Lizard
   
   

Fig 1


Fig 2


Fig 3


Fig 4


Fig 5


 

 

Family : Agamidae
Species : Draco sumatranus
Size (snout to vent) : 9 cm
Size (total length) : 22 cm

The Sumatran Gliding Lizard Draco sumatranus is generally encountered in disturbed or man-made habitats such as parks and gardens or wayside trees, where abundant sunlight is the norm. It is rarely found in the shade of primary or mature secondary forests, preferring to keep to the forest edge.

Its dorsal surface is symmetrically mottled with light brown and dark brown, and the patagium is black with brown mottling.

The triangular gular flag of the male is mainly bright yellow, but at the base is pale yellow to white and mottled with dark flecks. The forehead and crown of the male is often turquoise to bluish. The female possesses a small, mottled blue gular flag.

The species has been observed to feed mainly on small ants.

It was once considered a subspecies of Draco volans (i.e. D. volans sumatranus) but was recently elevated to species status.
  
The Sumatran Gliding Lizard ranges from southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore to Sumatra and Borneo (including the adjacent Philippine island of Palawan).


Figs 1 to 3 : Three views of an adult male Sumatran Gliding Lizard seen simultaneously displaying its bright yellow gular flag and patagium while feeding on tiny ants, Singapore.

Fig 4 : Female with small, mottled, bluish gular flag, at Tioman Island, Peninsular Malaysia.

Fig 5 : Male with blue head and relaxed gular flag. Seen at Gunung Arong, Johor, Peninsular Malaysia.


References : H1, H2