The Common flying dragon is a species of lizard that has the ability to glide using wing-like lateral extensions of its skin called patagia. Its body is tan in color with dark flecks. The patagium of the male is tan to bright orange with dark banding. The female's patagium has irregular markings rather than banding.
Common flying dragons are found in tropical rainforests in Southeast Asia.
Common flying dragons are arboreal and spend most of their life in trees. They are diurnal and hunt their prey during the day. These small ambush predators will typically lay still and wait until prey will come close enough to catch it. Common flying dragons prefer to spend their time singly. They are very territorial and will readily glide in order to chase rivals. They also use their ability to glide for locomotion but not to escape predation. Common flying dragons are considered passive gliders, or parachutists and are able to glide as far as 8 m (26 ft).
Common flying dragons are carnivores (insectivores) and feed mainly on ants and termites.
With the start of the breeding season, males begin to perform courtship displays. The coloration of the patagia and the dewlap play key roles in the courtship of Common flying dragons. The males stretch out and display their patagia and dewlaps to get the attention of the females. The female digs a hole in the soil to serve as a nest and lays 2-6 eggs in it. The well-developed young hatch after 26-29 days. They are born fully independent and do not require parental care.
The Common flying dragon does not face any major threats at present.
According to IUCN, the Common flying dragon is common throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List.
