A Flying Lizard

While I was sifting through the internet I came across this extraordinary flying lizard that has a pair of wings consisting of skin stretched between elongated ribs (If you have a closer look at the photo you will notice that what looks like veins running through the wings is actually its ribs). These wings help it glide from one tree trunk to another to avoid predators such as birds and snakes. To take off, the lizard moves its ribs outwards and opens the flaps of skin, closing them again on landing. 

The flying lizard is generally tan or pale brown to bright yellow, with a throat flap for display that is large and bright yellow in the male, but small and pale yellow in the female. Highly agile, this lizard lives on tree trunks and actively hunts for ants. The only time a flying lizard leaves the safety of trees is when a female is ready to lay her eggs, which she buries in sand or soil. She then guards the eggs for about 24 hours, but then leaves and has nothing more to do with the offspring. 

Didn’t James Cameron say that the creatures in Avatar came from real-life inspiration? So I guess that this little flying lizard (Draco Spilonotus) has got to be it (hihihi)…