Dragons of Real Life
The dragons that walk among us aren't the giant fire breathing creatures we've come to know. Instead, they are various animals that have been named after the beasts for sharing certain characteristics of dragons. While not the fire breathing winged beasts we've come to understand as dragons, these animals share a lot with dragons of myth. Many of them are reptilians with spikes and scales, or fish with extravagant features.
Komodo Dragon
Photographer: Guillaume Marques
Varanus komodoensis
Komodo dragons are a vulnerable species of lizard found on the islands of Komodo, Padar, Rinca, Gili Dasami, Gili Motang, and the western part of Flores. They are part of the Varanus genus, and are related to monitor lizards. They can grow up to one hundred and fifty pounds, and seven and a half feet long. Their most notable feature is their venom, which can kill their prey in a matter of minutes. The venom affects the blood, preventing it from clotting and lowering blood pressure, making the prey bleed out. Today, Komodo Dragons can be found in many zoos and institutions across the world as part of an effort to keep the species alive.
Black Dragon Water Monitor
Photographer: Dibyendu Ash/Wikipedia
Varanus salvator
These large reptiles are known by many names. The common water monitor, the Two Banded Monitor, the Malayan Water Monitor, the Rice Lizard, the Plain Lizard, the Ring Lizard, and the No Mark Lizard. These reptiles can grow up to six and a half feet long, and their diet consists of small animals such as fish, frogs, rodents, and even turtles and young crocidiles. They can be found in from India through China, and nearby islands as well.
Bearded Dragon
Photographer: Pierre Bamin
Pogona
Bearded dragons are one of the most common reptiles found as pets. They can be found in numerous pet stores, breeders websites, and even schools as class pets. Species include P. vitticepts, P. barbata, P. minor, and five others, making for a total of eight species. The most commonly found pet is P. vitticepts, or the Central Bearded Dragon. Their diet consists of a mix of bugs and leafy greens as adults. In the wild they can be found in various regions of Australia, with their conservation being of very little concern.
Chinese Water Dragon
Photgrapher: Alex Sukhariev
Physignathus cocincinus
The Chinese Water Dragon is a small lizard found in and around China. They are a vulnerable species, but can be found in pet stores and on breeder's websites. They are most commonly found along the banks of freshwater rivers and banks in the wild, and when owning one the owner must provide a source of water for their lizard. They will eat a variety of things, including insect, vegitation, and small lizards and fish. However, they primarily eat insects. They are a little harder to keep then other lizards, but are still relatively easy.
Australian Water Dragon
Photogrpaher: JJ Harrison
Intellagama lesueurii
These medium sized lizards come in two variations, the Eastern Water Dragon (Intellagama lesueurii lesueurii) and the Gippsland Water Dragon (Intellagama lesueurii howittii). They can be found near rivers, creeks, lakes, and any other body of water that may have good basking spots throughout Australia. They can grow up to two feet long, and feed on insects and small animals.
Flying Dragon
Photographer: Solvin Zankl/NPL
Draco volans
These small reptiles have odd wing-like structures that form from their elongated ribs. They are a gliding animal, and don't actually fly like birds or bats. These animals can glide for up to thirty feet. They can be found in the Philippines, Borneo, Southeast Asia and Southern India. They are an abundant species, and their conservation isn't of any deep concern. They can be found as pets, but are very hard to come by.
Sailfin Dragon
Photographer: MKFI/Wikipedia
Hydrosaurus pustulatus
Also known as the Philippine Sailfin Lizard, these large lizards can be found in the Philippines near river banks and tropical jungles. They feed on insects, fruits, vegetation, and small animals. They are most notable for the large fin on their tail. They are naturally docile, and can make good pets but are hard to find and not as easy to care for since they would need more space than the more common lizards that are kept as pets.
Dragon Agama
Photographer: Alfeus Liman/Wikipedia
Diploderma splendidum
This small lizard is known by many names: the Japalura Tree Dragon, Banana Split Mountain Lizard, Chinese Tree Dragon, and the Neon Tree Dragon. In the wild they can be found in temperate forests. They have recently been introduced to pet stores in the United States, and so far their care has been found to be similar to Chinese Water Dragons.
Chameleon Forest Dragon
Photographer: Σ64/Wikipedia
Gonocephalus chamaeleontinus
These small reptiles are not true Chameleons. In the wild they can be found in the tropical forests of Malaya, Sumatra and Indonesia. They are insectivores, as their diet consists primarily of bugs and insects. The most notable feature is their large crest just behind the head, which consists of several spikes leading down to the back. They are harder to keep as pets, as they require more care and special requirements than other reptiles, and are harder to find on the market.
Borneo Forest Dragon
Photographer: Charles J Sharp
Gonocephalus bornensis
These small reptiles live primarily in Borneo, and are rarely found outside of the area. Unfortunately, it is hard to find information on them, and there are no places that offer them as pets online for English viewers. They cling to trees, and presumably eat small insects.
Boyd's Forest Dragon
Photographer: Zoharby/Wikipedia
​Hypsilurus boydii
Boyd's Forest Dragon is a somewhat small reptile that lives in Australia. The live in trees, and their diet consists of small insects, and occasionally fruit and vegetation. They prefer to wait for prey, rather than search it out. They sit in tress for the majority of their life, but do lay eggs on the ground. A notable feature is the crest on top of their head, featuring usually three spikes. Their backs and cheeks also sport spikes, earning them their dragon name. They aren't comonnly found as pets as they are difficult to care for and maintain.
Frilled Dragon
Photographer: Matt Clancy Wildlife Photography
Chlamydosaurus kingii
These intimidating reptiles can be found in Northern Australia and Southern New Guinea. They are also known as the Frilled Neck Lizard. While they can appear large and scary, that is only because of the large frill they have around their neck. They are able to fling it open and hiss at potential threats, making them seem more dangerous than they actually are. They feed on small animals and insects, favoriting moths and moth larvae. Reptile fanciers admire them for their large and colorful frills, and can be described as medium difficulty to take care of.
Dragon Snake
Photogrspher: Matthijs Kuijpers/Alamy
​Xenodermus javanicus
These imposing snakes are known by a few names, which are the Javan Mudsnake, the Javan Tubercle Snake and the Rough Backed Litter Snake. They are a small and non-venomous species that can be found in the regions of the Greater Sunda Islands and the Malay Peninsula. Their most notable feature are the spines that run down it's sides and back, earning them some of their common names. They feed on small aquatic animals such as tadpoles and small fish. They are not often found as pets but can be taken care of with the right requirements.
Mandarin Dragonette
Photographer: Dorothea Oldani
Synchiropus splendidus
The Mandarin Dragonette is a small salt water fish, and one of the few vertebrates to have blue color due to their cellular pigment. Many fish fanciers admire them for their vibrant and contrasting colors. On rare occasions, they will be colored red with black stripes, instead of the usual orange with blue and green stripes. They are a difficult species to keep, and are not often found in the tanks of homes and offices. In the wild they can be found in the Pacific Ocean, and are abundant in numbers.
Dragon Eel
Photographer: Arial Burton
​ Enchelycore pardalis
Also known as the Leopard Moray Eel, the Dragon Moray Eel, and the Japanese Dragon Eel, this species can be found throughout the Indo-Pacific Oceans. They are a docile species, and can grow up to thirty six inches long. In captivity, they require a tank of at least one hundred and eighty gallons. They are a carnivorous species, and in the wild their diet consist of fish in the surrounding area. Their orange with white spots and little horn-like protrusions has earned them their dragon and leopard names.
Leafy Sea Dragon
Photographer: James Rosindell/Wikipedia
Phycodurus eques
These large sea horse like animals can be found on the Southern and Western coasts of Australia. They appear to simply float through the water due to their large and leafy protrusions. While they look more like a sea horse, they are actually related to pipe fish. Their diet consists of small crustaceans and plankton. It's not uncommon to find them in zoos and aquariums, but they can be a bit difficult to take care of.
Weedy Sea Dragon
Photographer: Richard Ling/Wikipedia
Phyllopteryx taeniolatus
These animals are very similar in appearance to the Leafy Sea Dragon. They have a similar range of distribution as well. They live near the Southern and Western coasts of Australia, as well as the coasts of New Zealand. Their weed like appendages help them blend in with the sea weed that they live near, helping them to float on by peacefully. The Weedy Sea Dragon is also known as the Common Sea Dragon, and is related to other sea dragons such as the Ruby Sea Dragon and the Leafy Sea Dragon. Unfortunately, they are difficult to take care of and it is unknow on how to get them to breed, making conservation difficult.
Ruby Seadragon
Photographer: Unkown/beautifulnow.is
Phyllopteryx dewysea
The Ruby Seadragon can be found along the Western coast of Australia, and is much harder to find than other Sea Dragons. The first live specimen was recorded in 2016, with a few rare sightings since then. It has been found that the Ruby Seadragon can use it's tail to grab and manipulate objects, unlike other Seadragons.
Ribboned Seadragon
Photographer: Mollie/ocmomblog.com
Haliichthys Taeniophorus
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Black Dragonfish
Photographer: PF-(usna1)/Alamy
​Idiacanthus atlanticus
These elusive creatures live in the deep depths of the ocean, as far down as six thousand and six hundred feet below the surface. Not much is known about them, but it is known that they are carnivores and sexually dimorphic. Female are more colorful, being black with six stripes while the males are brown and and are lacking the distinctive canine teeth that the females have. They are also bioluminescent, using their light to attract prey. Currently, they are not in any zoos or aquariums.
Blue Dragon Sea Slug
Photographer: Taro Tayler
Glaucus atlanticus
The Blue Dragon Sea Slug is known by many names, those being the Sea Swallow, Blue Angel, Blue Glaucus, Blue Sea Slug, Blue Ocean Slug, Dragon Slug, and the Blue Dragon. They are pelagic, which means they live in the open ocean. They feed on other small creatures such as siphonophores. They can flout upside down by using surface tension in the water to stay up. They can be found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans along with others of the Glaucus species. Handling these animals can prove harmful, as their bodies store the nematocysts from the animals they eat.
Dragonfly
Photographer: Shreyas Bhosale
Anisoptera
The Infraorder Anisoptera includes a wide variety of families and species all categorized under the Dragonfly. These small winged insects can be found all over the world, and date to as far back as the Late Jurassic. There are roughly three thousand species that can be found worldwide. Their colorful, shiny bodies, large wings, and the ability to land on a stem has gained interest from children and adults alike.
Pink Dragoon Millipede
Photographer: Thailand Wildlife/Alamy
​Desmoxytes purpurosea
These small and toxic millipedes can be found in Thailand. They have been found to grow up to three inches long. They were first and officially described in 2007, making them a recently discovered species. After raining, large numbers of them can be found. They prefer to live in leaf litter.