Günther's flying lizard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Draco guentheri |
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Draco
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guentheri
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Draco guentheri, also known as Günther's flying lizard, is a special type of "flying dragon" lizard. It belongs to the family called Agamidae. This lizard is endemic to the Philippines, which means it is found only there.
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Where Günther's Flying Lizard Lives
In the Philippines, you can find D. guentheri on several islands. These include Basilan, Bongao, Jolo, Mindanao, Sanga-Sanga, Siasi, and Simunul.
Home and Habitat
D. guentheri's favorite natural habitat is the forest. These lizards can live from sea level all the way up to about 1,500 meters (around 4,900 feet) high in the mountains.
Reproduction
D. guentheri is oviparous. This means that the female lizard lays eggs, and the baby lizards hatch from these eggs.
How it Got its Name
The specific name, guentheri, was chosen to honor a famous zoologist. This zoologist was Albert Gunther, who was German-British.
About its Scientific Name
This lizard was first described in 1885 by a zoologist named George Albert Boulenger. He was from Belgium and Britain. He gave it the name Draco guentheri.
An interesting fact is that the Philippine national hero, Jose Rizal, also collected this species. He found specimens in 1893 when he was in Dapitan, Mindanao. Rizal thought he had found a new type of lizard. He even gave it a temporary name, Draco dapitani.
Rizal sent his lizard specimens to Europe. A German zoologist named Benno Wandolleck studied them. In 1900, Wandolleck also believed it was a new species. He named it Draco rizali. Sadly, Rizal's original specimens were later destroyed during World War II.
Over the years, scientists continued to study these lizards. In 1936, Willi Hennig thought it was a part of another species. Later, in 1993, Maren Gaulke recognized it as its own full species. Finally, in 2000, Jimmy McGuire and Angel Alcala confirmed that Boulenger's original name, Draco guentheri, was the correct one for this unique lizard.
