NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Mindanao Flying Lizard
Draco mindanensis Stejneger, 1908
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
Draco mindanensis, commonly known as the Mindanao flying dragon or Mindanao flying lizard, is a lizard species endemic to the Philippines. Characterized by a dull grayish brown body color and a vivid tangerine orange dewlap, this species is one of the largest of the genus Draco. It is diurnal, arboreal, and capable of gliding.
The Mindanao flying dragon inhabits regions of primary and secondary-growth forests. There appears to be a dependence on primary dipterocarp forest for this species' survival. D. mindanensis is noted for being a bioindicator for the forested regions of Mindanao.
Threatened heavily by deforestation, the IUCN has listed D. mindanensis as vulnerable. Currently, there are no specific conservation efforts being made to preserve the species. Rather, there are projects that target the protection of the habitats in which the Mindanao flying dragon lives.
Wikipedia contributors, Draco mindanensis; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T10:09:16.194603+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Draco mindanensis Stejneger, 1908
- Name authority
- Stejneger, 1908
- Common name
- Mindanao Flying Lizard
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Squamata
- Family
- Agamidae
- Genus
- Draco
- Extinction status
- Not supplied by this source
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classReptilia Laurenti, 1768
- orderSquamata Oppel, 1811
- suborderIguania
- familyAgamidae
- subfamilyDraconinae
- genusDraco
- speciesDraco mindanensis Stejneger, 1908
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Draco. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore Flying DragonDraco abbreviatus Hardwicke & Gray, 1827 | AgamidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Lazell’s Flying DragonDraco biaro Lazell, 1987 | AgamidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Draco boschmai Hennig, 1936 | AgamidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Draco caerulhians Lazell, 1992 | AgamidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Crested Flying DragonDraco cristatellus Günther, 1872 | AgamidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Guenther's Flying LizardDraco guentheri Boulenger, 1885 | AgamidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Draco jareckii Lazell, 1992 | AgamidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Spotted Flying DragonDraco maculatus (Gray, 1845) | AgamidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Giant Gliding LizardDraco maximus Boulenger, 1893 | AgamidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Dusky Gliding LizardDraco obscurus Boulenger, 1887 | AgamidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| White-spotted Flying LizardDraco ornatus (Gray, 1845) | AgamidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Draco palawanensis Mcguire & Alcala, 2000 | AgamidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Draco&species=mindanensis Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:37K5Z. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.