Flying lizard - Tobitokage (English spelling)

A general term for lizards in the genus Draco, order Squamata, family Agamidae, class Reptilia. Members of this genus Draco have a flying membrane for gliding, and about 40 species, including the Malayan Draco , are found in southern India, the Indochina Peninsula, the Philippines and other parts of Southeast Asia, and southern China. The total length is about 20 to 25 centimeters, and the tail is about two-thirds of that. The head is small but angular, and the body is long and slender. The limbs are well developed with long and slender fingers. On both sides of the body, there is a skin wing membrane supported by five to seven long, elongated ribs at the back. The wing membrane is usually folded, and is expanded widely when gliding. There are also small membranes (flaps) on both sides of the neck, and a fin-like membrane protrudes downward from the base of the tail. It is arboreal and lives in forests, and feeds mainly on insects. In search of food, they climb from the bottom of tall trees, and when they reach the treetops, they spread their wing membranes and glide, flying to the base of another trunk. The male has a brightly colored pouch on his throat, and he spreads this and his wing membranes to perform a courtship display on females.

[Takahiro Matsui]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

爬虫(はちゅう)綱有鱗(ゆうりん)目アガマ科トビトカゲ属に含まれるトカゲの総称。この属Dracoの仲間は滑空用の飛膜をもち、インド南部、インドシナ半島やフィリピンほかの東南アジア、中国南部に、マレートビトカゲD. volansなど約40種が分布する。全長約20～25センチメートル、尾はその3分の2ほど。頭部は角張るが小さく、胴は細長い。四肢は発達し指が細長い。胴の両側には、後方の5～7本の長く伸びた肋骨(ろっこつ)に支えられた、皮膚の翼膜がある。翼膜は通常畳まれており、滑空時に大きく広げられる。頸部(けいぶ)の両側にも小さな膜（フラップ）があり、また、尾の基部には下方にひれ状の膜が張り出している。樹上性で森林に生息し、昆虫類を主食としている。餌(えさ)を求めて高い樹木の下のほうから登り、樹冠に達すると翼膜を広げて滑空し、ほかの幹の根元近くに飛び移る。雄ののどには鮮やかな色彩の飾り袋があり、これと翼膜を広げて雌に求愛ディスプレーを行う。

［松井孝爾］

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