Draco cyanopterus

Excerpt from:

Phylogenetic Systematics, Scaling Relationships, and the Evolution of Gliding Performance in Flying Lizards (Genus Draco)
Copyright by Jimmy Adair McGuire 1998

Draco reticulatus var. cyanopterus, 1867:15. Type–locality: "Mindanao" (no holotype designated).
Draco everetti Boulenger, 1885:258.
Draco volans reticulatus Hennig, 1936:179.
Draco volans Inger, 1983:8.

Diagnosis.—Draco cyanopterus can be distinguished from all other species of Draco in the Philippines by the following combination of characteristics:
(1) moderately large size (maximum SVL of males = 89 mm [n=11], females = 95 mm [n=6]);
(2) nostrils oriented laterally on snout;
(3) presence of an enlarged, thornlike superciliary scale;
(4) dorsal scales variable in size, often with strong keeling;
(5) tympanum large, unscaled;
(6) six or occasionally seven ribs supporting patagium;
(7) lacrimal bone absent;
(8) a large black postrictal ocellus surrounding an enlarged white tubercle absent;
(9) dorsal patagial coloration of males composed of large pale spots within a thin, dark brown to black reticulum with enlarged, unscaled, chartreuse patches between ribs;
(10) dorsal patagial coloration of females with dark reticulum or dark mottling overlying peach to orange pigments proximally, medial portion of each wing mottled with black and either dark green or orange, distal third of patagium with several large black patches separated by gray bars that overlay ribs;
(11) ventral surface of the patagium salmon in most males, sometimes yellow, immaculate or with a few small melanic spots proximally or near patagial margin; (12) ventral surface of patagium in females yellow, immaculate or with few small melanic spots proximally or near patagial margin;
(13) males with triangular dewlap, reddish brown with white spots proximally, orange–yellow distally;
(14) gray, tan, or brown dorsal body coloration in both sexes;
(15) males with orbital region heavily suffused with dark pigments.

Draco cyanopterus can be distinguished from all other species of Draco on the basis of the unique patagial pattern of males (including large chartreuse blotches between the ribs) and females (the proximal portion of the patagium with a dark reticulum or mottling overlying peach to orange pigments, the medial portion mottled with black and either dark green or orange, and the distal third with several large black patches separated only by gray bars that overlay the ribs). Draco cyanopterus can be further distinguished from D. bimaculatus and D. mindanensis on the basis of the number of ribs supporting the patagium (six versus five). It can be further distinguished from D. jareckii, D. mindanensis, D. ornatus, D. quadrasi, and some populations of D. spilopterus on the basis of its unscaled tympana (versus scaled over). Draco cyanopterus can be further distinguished from D. bimaculatus, D. jareckii, D. mindanensis, D. ornatus, D. palawanensis, D. quadrasi, and D. spilopterus on the basis of its dewlap pattern, which is pale ruddy–brown over the proximal two–thirds and dark yellow over the distal third, the proximal one–third with several distinct white spots. It can be further distinguished from D. mindanensis on the basis of the orientation of its nostrils (oriented laterally versus posterodorsally) and the absence (versus presence) of a lacrimal bone. It can be further distinguished from D. bimaculatus, D. jareckii, D. mindanensis, D. ornatus, D. palawanensis, D. quadrasi, and D. spilopterus based on the presence (versus absence) of an enlarged, thornlike superciliary scale. Draco cyanopterus can be further distinguished from D. guentheri based on its brown or gray dorsal body coloration in males (versus malachite green).

Description.—A moderately large species, maximum observed SVL in males = 89 mm, females = 95 mm; dorsal head scales small to medium–sized, heterogeneous, variably keeled or rugose; rostral 1–2 times wider than high, bordered by 5–6 postrostrals; internasals, frontonasals, and prefrontals small excepting a series of enlarged, strongly keeled scales arranged in shape of inverted "Y", the base originates a few scales posterior to rostral, arms contacting supraorbitals; supraoculars granular laterally, grading to much larger size medially such that medialmost supraoculars larger than all surrounding cephalic scales; frontoparietals and parietals slightly to much larger than scales of snout; interparietal slightly smaller than surrounding parietals, occasionally (3 of 11) with opalescent lens; nasals turret–like, pierced centrally by external nares, nares point laterally and slightly dorsally; 3–4 canthals, strongly keeled; anterior superciliaries elongate, keeled; posterior superciliaries granular, excepting a very large, laterally compressed thornlike superciliary scale, usually taller than wide; loreals and lorilabials immediately superior to supralabials relatively large, remaining loreals and lorilabials much smaller, juxtaposed, only slightly larger than adjacent palpebrals; an enlarged scale, usually wider than tall usually present immediately superior to posteriormost supralabial; one to several pre–, sub–, and postoculars sometimes enlarged forming discontinuous subocular series, remaining postoculars granular; a series of 2–3 large keeled scales extend posteriorly from posterior border of orbit; supralabials 9–12, anterior border convex, posterior border concave, 1–3 times longer than tall, anteriormost supralabial usually much smaller than others, posteriormost supralabial usually longest; infralabials 8–12, pentagonal; tympanum unscaled, surrounded by granular scales, a large tubercle present a few scales anterior to tympanum; scales surrounding corner of mouth granular; remaining temporals, occipitals, and nuchals granular except for 1–2 tubercles superior to tympanum midway between tympanum and nuchal crest and 1–3, larger tubercles posterior and slightly superior to tympanum immediately posterior to underlying quadrate bone; mental bordered by 3–5 postmentals; gular scales and scales of dewlap and ventral surfaces of throat lappets granular, scales of dorsal surfaces of throat lappets enlarged distally; dewlap scales of males enlarged at distal extremity.

Dorsal body scales small, juxtaposed or slightly imbricate, variably keeled; a midvertebral nuchal crest composed of laterally compressed dorsal scales present, comprised of 19–25 scales in males, 5–14 scales in females; lateral nuchal crests present in both sexes; middorsals 2–4 times larger than scales of lower flanks, patches of slightly enlarged scales surrounding 1–3 much larger, keeled scales present along flanks near proximal edge of patagia, part of discontinuous series of enlarged keeled scales extending from lateral nuchal crests, along base of patagium, to sacral region; no conspicuously enlarged series of keeled paravertebral scales present; caudals strongly keeled; paired, enlarged middorsal caudals extending length of tail; paired, enlarged, subcaudals extending length of tail; over proximal approximately 10% of tail, lateral caudals strongly keeled forming weak fringe; dorsal patagium with juxtaposed scales, variably keeled, keels arranged into linear series that extend parallel to axis of body; ventral patagium with flat, delicate scales, variably keeled; ventral body scales strongly keeled, approximately equal to dorsals in size; brachials imbricate, variable in size and degree of keeling; prebrachials about equal to largest dorsals in size, strongly keeled, grading smoothly into smaller keeled suprabrachials; postbrachials much smaller than other brachials, weakly keeled or unkeeled; infrabrachials smaller than suprabrachials, weakly keeled; antebrachials slightly larger than brachials, variably keeled, juxtaposed or weakly imbricate; infra–antebrachials smaller than other antebrachials; infracarpals very small, keeled or mucronate, proximal subdigital lamellae with 2–4 keels, distal subdigital lamellae with 1 keel; femorals highly variable in size and degree of keeling; prefemorals, anterior suprafemorals larger than dorsals, strongly keeled; posterior suprafemorals granular, unkeeled; postfemorals granular, variably keeled, keels directed posteriorly rather than distally; infrafemorals much smaller than ventrals in size, weakly keeled; a series of enlarged, flaplike posterior infrafemorals forming conspicuous fringe along posterior edge of upper hind limb, continuing along posterior edge of proximal half of lower hind limb; tibials keeled, small proximally and distally, equal to dorsals in size elsewhere, pretibials largest; tarsals strongly keeled or mucronate, infratarsals much smaller than supratarsals, proximal subdigital lamellae with 2 keels, distal subdigital lamellae with 1 keel, 26–31 subdigital lamellae on fourth toe. Patagia supported by 6 ribs (12 of 12); pleurodont teeth usually 7 (6 of 10), sometimes 6 (4 of 10); lacrimal bone absent.

Coloration in life.—The dorsal body and limb coloration of both sexes is usually composed of pale gray, dark gray, tan, and brown mottling such that the overall coloration of the animal may appear gray or tan. Four indistinct dark gray or brown presacral dorsal blotches may be present. The pattern on the side of the neck usually is composed of a brown or gray reticulum surrounding pale gray blotches. The tail, which is encircled with dark brown bands, often has a distinct salmon cast, particularly ventrally where the salmon coloration may be quite vivid. A distinct melanic interorbital spot is present in both sexes, but the nuchal spot is restricted to females. In males, the orbital region (excepting only the ciliaries) is heavily suffused with dark pigments. The dewlap of males is pale ruddy–brown over the proximal two–thirds and dark yellow over the distal third. The proximal one–third of the dewlap includes several distinct white spots, each composed of approximately 10 scales. The ventral coloration in both sexes is white with varying amounts of tan or dark brown mottling or crossbanding over the pectoral region. The ventral surface of the patagium and tail is yellow in females, salmon in males, in both sexes either immaculate or with a few minute, widely scattered black spots. The same color that occurs on the ventral patagium may also be present as a wash down the middle of the chest and abdomen. Although the dorsal body coloration of males and females is similar, the sexes differ substantially in the coloration of the dorsal surface of the patagium. In males, the dorsal patagial pattern is composed of large pale cream spots within a thin, dark brown to black reticulum over the proximal one–third of the patagium, but distally there are 4–6 large patches of naked skin (without scales) that are vivid chartreuse in coloration; the green patches appear ultramarine blue in preserved specimens. In females, the proximal portion of the patagium has a dark reticulum or mottling overlying peach to orange pigments. The medial portion of each wing may be mottled with black and either dark green or orange. The distal third of the patagium has several large black patches separated only by gray bars that overlay the ribs.

Distribution.—Draco cyanopterus is known from the islands of Mindanao, Dinagat, and Camiguin Sur (Figure 1.3). These islands are land bridge to one another and form the southern portion of the Mindanao aggregate island complex of Heaney (1986). The northern islands of the Mindanao aggregate island complex are inhabited by D. reticulatus, the putative sister taxon of D. cyanopterus (McGuire, unpublished data).

Natural History.—Draco cyanopterus is a species of relatively open habitats and it seems likely that the species was found primarily along the edges of forest clearings and in relatively open areas in primary and secondary forests before logging of the Philippine forests commenced. Indeed, we have observed this species in just this sort of microhabitat in secondary forest. The species now occurs primarily in open coconut plantation habitats where it is usually the only species of Draco encountered. We have observed D. cyanopterus in sympatry with D. guentheri, D. bimaculatus, and D. mindanensis on Mindanao. At this locality, D. cyanopterus was occupying trees exposed to ample sunlight. As is the case with all species of Philippine Draco with which we are familiar, D. cyanopterus appears to feed primarily on ants.

Comments.—Peters (1867) did not designate a type 4specimen in his description of Draco cyanopterus (as a variety of D. reticulatus). Indeed, the description in Peters (1867) is brief, stating only that the new variety was collected by Semper on Mindanao and differs from the type of D. reticulatus only in the blue wing patches (in preservative). Nevertheless, given that D. cyanopterus is the only species of Draco in which preserved specimens have blue fields on the patagium, Peters' (1867) description is sufficient and a neotype need not be designated (ICZN, 1985). If designation of a neotype does become necessary at some future date, specimen ZFMK 20900 is available as this specimen was collected by Semper on Mindanao and was identified by Musters (1983) as being of the "everetti form."


Range Map:
Draco cyanopterus range map