Spotted Flying Dragon or Orange-winged Flying Lizard
Draco maculatus
กิ้งก่าบินปีกจุด หรือ กิ้งก่าบินปีกส้ม


My introduction to this lizard was when I was photographing the Ordination Hall at Wat Thep Wanaram in Si Suthon, Phuket. I saw a "butterfly" fluttering by out of the corner of my eye. When I looked for the "butterfly" on the tree where it landed, I saw this Flying Dragon instead. But not to worry. This Dragon is only 7.75 inches long, of which 4.5 inches is tail. Thai people call this lizard กิ้งก่าบินปีกจุด or กิ้งก่าบินปีกส้ม, which translate to Spotted flying dragon or Orange-winged flying lizard. Draco maculatus is an agamid (Agamidae family) flying lizard capable of gliding from tree to tree, found in parts of Southeast Asia. It is commonly named the Spotted Flying Dragon.