Magic Writers International

Birds are not the only vertebrates that can fly. Some reptiles too are capable of flying or gliding without wings. Flying reptiles include:

1. The paradise tree snake – These snakes don’t have wings but can fly for as much as 100 meters at a time. They belong to the Chrysopelea family and inhabit Thailand, India, Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia. Paradise tree snakes normally stretch their bodies sideways and open their ribs to make their bellies concave in shape.
2. Flying geckos – Snakes are not the only reptiles that can fly. Some geckos known as flying geckos have the ability to glide through the air by means of flaps on their limbs, body, tail, and head that catches the air and enables them to glide. They include the ptychozoon flying geckos, the lupersaurus flying geckos, thecadactylus flying geckos, and the cosymbotus flying gecko.
3. Gliding lacertids – Lacertids too can fly. They have fringed toes and tail sides and have the ability to flatten their bodies in order to glide and parachute. The two species of lacertids that can fly are found in West Africa.
4. Draco lizards – They are found in India, Sri Lanka and other parts of South East Asia. They live in trees and feed on ants. They are known to glide for up to 60 meters by means of a gliding membrane attached onto their unusually elongated ribs.