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[dragonology101]

Red-tailed Knobby Newt aka Kweichow Crocodile Newt (Tylototriton kweichowensis), family Salamandridae, endemic to NE Yunnan, China

Poisonous.

Some species within this genus are capable of poking the tips of their ribs through the orange bumps on the back, which secrete poison. The ribs can effectively become venomous spines that can puncture the potential predator’s skin!

photograph by John P. Clare

[dragonology101]

You're in one of the northernmost parts of their range! The furthest north I've ever personally seen them is the Yellowstone area, their population is more sparse past that. It's theorized that the webbing helps with steering but I think that's pretty dubious.

Saw what looked a lot like a four winged dragon the other day - legs at the back, a really big pair of central wings, and then a small pair of wings at the front? The front wings were definitely spread and moving. It was in flight, so not sure of the size - bigger than a cat, smaller than a person. Colors were hard to tell because of the sun, but definitely white, maybe light grey or blue, and a darker color. Is this a really weird draconidae or???

I'm going to assume you're somewhere in North America for this since that's my specialty. If not, please let me know!

Sounds like a Long-toed Dragon (Echinodraco* amnicus) showing you what they're named for. If you live in the southeastern United States, you might have also grown up calling them Eel Dragons—I've heard that's more common down there. The wings you observed are their webbed front feet. Out of every dragon in North America, they have the longest toe to foot ratio, which makes them extremely funny looking on land. The back feet are webbed, too, but they tend to be tucked up close to the tail when in flight. They're primarily aquatic, and the one you saw was probably either full-sized or close to it, since their length maxes out at about four and a half feet including their tail. They have that weird flight you observed with the front feet occasionally extended, usually when crossing through another Long-toed Dragon's territory as a show of talons. They're not very violent and usually raise their neck frills and hiss until the other one leaves, but sometimes they'll attack each other from below.

(*Them belonging to Echinodraco is somewhat dubious, since they keep getting split off into their own genus and then reincorporated again. I think they're probably a different genus than either of the other two we have here, but hey, who knows.)

[dragonology101]

Saw what looked a lot like a four winged dragon the other day - legs at the back, a really big pair of central wings, and then a small pair of wings at the front? The front wings were definitely spread and moving. It was in flight, so not sure of the size - bigger than a cat, smaller than a person. Colors were hard to tell because of the sun, but definitely white, maybe light grey or blue, and a darker color. Is this a really weird draconidae or???

I'm going to assume you're somewhere in North America for this since that's my specialty. If not, please let me know!

Sounds like a Long-toed Dragon (Echinodraco* amnicus) showing you what they're named for. If you live in the southeastern United States, you might have also grown up calling them Eel Dragons—I've heard that's more common down there. The wings you observed are their webbed front feet. Out of every dragon in North America, they have the longest toe to foot ratio, which makes them extremely funny looking on land. The back feet are webbed, too, but they tend to be tucked up close to the tail when in flight. They're primarily aquatic, and the one you saw was probably either full-sized or close to it, since their length maxes out at about four and a half feet including their tail. They have that weird flight you observed with the front feet occasionally extended, usually when crossing through another Long-toed Dragon's territory as a show of talons. They're not very violent and usually raise their neck frills and hiss until the other one leaves, but sometimes they'll attack each other from below.

(*Them belonging to Echinodraco is somewhat dubious, since they keep getting split off into their own genus and then reincorporated again. I think they're probably a different genus than either of the other two we have here, but hey, who knows.)

[dragonology101]

Myths and Misconceptions: Dragon Hypnosis

Snakes are famous for being able to charm or hypnotize their prey, and so are dragons... but neither of them are actually capable of it. Luckily, this myth has somewhat faded out in the past few years as more people become aware of the wildlife around them, but that doesn't mean it's not still a prevalent idea in the popular consciousness.

Unlike other misconceptions about dragons (such as their supposed ability to breathe fire), an ability to hypnotize doesn't stem much from actual observable behavior as it does from urban legends and folk tales. It's likely these originally spread due to some predatory species outside of the family Draconidae becoming aggravated at eye contact combined with the admittedly fascinating sinuous winding of various snake species. While I wouldn't recommend looking, say, a tiger in the eye if you're being stalked by one, dragon body language doesn't put much stock in eye contact, and I can pretty confidently assert that they aren't any more likely to attack you if you look them in the eyes as opposed to at their claws or wings. (And I already have a post written about how unlikely dragon attacks really are!)

Interestingly, certain species seem more prone to having this myth applied to them than others. Wyverns in the family Avidraco (the only extant members of which being Avidraconis vulgaris and A. rhamphosodonis) are often the primary targets due to the common name "Cockatrice" having unfortunate connotations involving a deathly stare. I can confirm, as someone who has looked into the eyes of an A. vulgaris on several occasions, the only ability they possess is a deep desire to peck your eyes out! I consider that to be pretty far from hypnotic petrification. Larger species of wyrms such as the Mountain Wyrm—Dinodraco sulcata, not to be confused with the Lesser Mountain Wyrm of North America—also have hypnosis commonly attributed to them, but are equally incapable of it.

(Also, as a word of advice, don't look up scholarly articles disproving the various myths about this by typing "dragon hypnosis" into Google. The results are extremely unhelpful.)

[dragonology101]

My partner got a book about skulls for their birthday (Animal Skulls: A Guide to North American Species by Mark Elbroch) and I was surprised to see it actually contained some pages on dragons! Seen here are a diagram of the skulls of a Clark’s Wyrm and an American Horned Salamander. Two wyrms in two different genera, Microdraco and Pyropedetes.

[dragonology101]

Myths and Misconceptions: "Man-eating" Dragons

One of the most common questions I get asked about my dragonology research is "How do you keep yourself from being eaten?" It's funny, but it reveals one of the biggest misconceptions about these amazing creatures—that they're evil, bloodthirsty, or attack humans out of a specific malice instead of self-defense or because of desperation. Which simply isn't true! Dragons are often incredibly intelligent (while Draceous species have the biggest reputations for intelligence, and are indeed some of the smartest dragons in the world, even the comparably-maligned Pachysquamids are overall quite smart and trainable), but they're as malicious in their attacks as any other animal would be.

That doesn't mean dragon attacks don't happen. You only need a quick google search to find a headline about someone being attacked by a dragon at a national park or while rock climbing. But to compare a few numbers... Per to National Geographic, there are roughly 16 shark attacks off North American coasts every year, typically with one or no fatalities each year (according to a study in 2005). The United States Geological Survey website states that 4-6 cougar attacks occur each year in Canada and the States, although I can't find when that study was performed. Large dragon attacks happen an average of 4 times per year in North America, with the last fatal dragon attack occurring in 2017.

Almost every dragon attack documented worldwide is not the result of an animal attempting to prey on a human but caused by the dragon viewing a human as a threat. Not every dragon species performs parental care toward their chicks, but like bears, some dragon species are fiercely protective over their young and will attack perceived threats to them or their nesting sites. Only one dragon species in North America attacks humans with any degree of regularity—the Steller's Wyvern (Orcinodraco leucorhino) is responsible for 82% of large dragon attacks in recorded North American history, and out of that 82% approximately 95% of attacks are caused by someone encroaching on a dragon's territory during nesting season. While it isn't the fault of those people for not knowing (I don't expect anyone but a seasoned dragonologist to know the breeding seasons of any given species offhand!) it does thoroughly demonstrate that dragon attacks aren't the result of malice or hunger. Even in the remaining 5% of dragon attack cases for Steller's Wyverns, attacks were performed by injured individuals attempting to find a source of food in a campsite and finding awake and startled humans instead.

There is another angle to this concerning smaller dragon species. Dragons are inherently fascinating to most, and as they adapt to urban areas there are more opportunities for humans and dragons to come into conflict with each other. As dragons become more used to scavenging for food from humans (several species of small wyvern and wyrm, for example, have become adept at hunting rats and pigeons as well as looting overturned garbage cans), they become more habituated and less timid. Small dragon attacks most reliably happen in cities because of this.

This kind of behavior isn't restricted to smaller species, however. A notable case of a fatal dragon attack in 2010 involved a Common Northern Dragon (Eurodraco terribilis borealis) in Alaska that became accustomed to being fed fish and scraps of meat by a local family. The dragon grew bold enough that it at one point trapped the family in their homes by scratching at the door to be let in, and when a neighbor came to help, it attacked and killed him. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game was able to euthanize it after a multi-day search, which was an unfortunate but predictable end that caused the case to make national headlines. Even in that instance, when clearly hungry and with fresh meat available in the form of the innocent neighbor, the dragon in question didn't attempt to eat the human it killed.

That doesn't mean it's impossible for a dragon to eat a human. It has happened, even if it isn't with any sort of frequency. A known incident in Europe (Southern Poland) involving another Eurodraco species (this time not the northern subspecies but simply Eurodraco terribilis) in 2008 involved the skeletal remains of a missing hiker being found in a dragon's lair by another group of hikers, with forensics later showing that the hiker had been killed and eaten by a dragon. But these incidents are scattered throughout centuries, not years or even decades. No dragon, not even the largest species, makes humans a regular prey, no matter what medieval manuscripts would lead you to believe.

While they shouldn't be irrationally feared, dragons are wild animals and should be treated as such. Take the same precautions you would take with any other animal, and never try to hand-feed or habituate dragons no matter how small or cute they might be. Enjoy them from a distance, and don't become another Yellowstone tourist who gets burned and bit by a wyrm because you tried to reach into a hot spring to pet it!

[dragonology101]

Comparison between the skulls of an Ironclad Wyrm (Microdraco hoplites) and an American Amphiptere (Gracilo pinnatus).

Ironclad Wyrms and American Amphipteres share their desert habitats, are crepuscular ambush predators, and will frequently prey on each other when they come into conflict. Their hunting methods, however, differ. Ironclad Wyrms, like all Microdraco species, are venomous, with fangs that extrude from their mouths even when their jaws are closed, while American Amphipteres kill via construction and use their teeth to hold prey while they swallow it.

[dragonology101]

Myths and Misconceptions: Dragon "Fur"

Dragons exist in the same paradox as other animals like sharks—while they are well-studied, myths about them abound and are widely accepted by society, often to the detriment of the animal themselves. While I've briefly discussed the myth of fire-breathing and am planning to go into myths such as dragons being "man-eaters" and the myth about their ability to hypnotize their prey, today I'd like to talk about a less damaging dragon misconception: that dragons of the Draceous family have fur!

Previously considered to be in the family Pachysquamidae, we now know that Draceous dragons are their own separate family. One thing that makes them stand out is their manes and sensory whiskers. While the thin, closely-gathered fibers give the appearance of hair or fur, their manes actually made up of thousands of specialized feathers. These feathers most closely resemble those of Kiwis, a small flightless bird found in New Zealand, in that they lack afterfeathers/aftershafts (smaller down feathers which provide insulation to the body from the main feather shaft). Other feathered dragons, such as amphipteres, possess feathers more similar to those of other birds.

One common belief about Draceous dragon manes I can confirm, however, is that they're incredibly soft. Here's a closeup on the mane of a 12-year-old Whiskered River Dragon (Potamodraconis chinensis melavultus) I photographed at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, which has a fantastic dragon exhibit I highly recommend visiting:

Their sensory whiskers are also feathered. While on birds filoplume feathers are short—rarely measuring more than a few inches long even in the largest species—Draceous dragons have long ones running down their whiskers. These feathers are extremely sensitive and are used in much the same way cats use their whiskers or humans use their fingertips. Given the often dark aquatic habitat of many Draceous dragons, these filoplume-covered whiskers likely help guide them when visibility is low. Draceous dragons also have poor visibility close to their noses, and anything unfamiliar without a distinct scent is often investigated with rigorous whisker touching. Without filoplumes, they'd be both literally and metaphorically in the dark!

[dragonology101]

aside from size and body configuration, what's most unique about the various dragon clades compared to other animals? are there any features that are universal or near-universal to all dragons, the way all birds have feathers/wings?

While it's largely not visible on dragon species that aren't in Draconidae, all dragons either have or are descended from the only known properly six-limbed vertebrates. (I say properly because certain ray-finned fish have the illusion of six limbs due to their fin placement but their skeletons show that they truly only have four.)

Even dragon species that have evolved to lose certain limbs either show skeletal evidence that they once had more--i.e., the remains of the vestigial wings of wyrms--or are visible with the naked eye and a cooperative enough specimen--i.e., the vestigial leg spurs of amphipteres.

It used to be believed that things evolved in the reverse of that, with true dragons and all other dragon species evolving from prehistoric species of wyrm, and you still see the idea tossed about by more novice dragonologists who haven't had the chance to encounter the physical proof otherwise.

(Vestigial hind leg spurs on an American Amphiptere, taken by the Science Photo Library.)

[dragonology101]

A very brief overview of dragon families (excluding the class Hydroserpenes, given the scientific debate about their inclusion within Draconidae) found in North America!

Wyrms (family Pachysquamidae) are wingless, four-limbed dragons with plantigrade feet, non-overlapping scales, and external ears.

True dragons (family Draconidae) are winged, six-limbed dragons with digitigrade feet, overlapping scales, and external ears.

Wyverns (family Bipodracodidae) are winged, four-limbed bipedal dragons with digitigrade feet, overlapping scales, and external ears.

Amphipteres (family Lepidoamphitidae) are two-limbed dragons with feathered wings, no legs beyond vestigial spurs, overlapping scales, and internal ears.

Only one dragon family is not represented in North America. Dragons in the family Draceous are exclusively found in Asia, North Africa, and Eastern Europe. They're distinguished by being wingless, four-limbed dragons with digitigrade feet, overlapping scales, and external ears. They were originally grouped under the family Pachysquamidae, but were split into their own family in the 1800s. I've been lucky enough to work with some captive specimens, and I may give them their own post even though they aren't included in my guide.

[dragonology101]

heard back from CDFW! they confirmed that old sighting as a for-real giant amphiptere, so i think you can safely update your field guide :) i didn't grab any photos myself but i put some of my old friends in touch with them so those might be findable on their website soon? super cool to learn how significant this was; thanks for tipping me off about it

That's awesome news, and the updates have been made! I've actually never seen an adult female in person at any range closer than at least two miles up (and moving fast--binoculars were my best friend when I was studying Crested and Mexican Amphiptere hybridization in Chiapas), so I'm jealous on multiple levels.

[dragonology101]

Hi! Long time listener, first time caller from the South of England, the other night an unidentified dragon came in through my first floor bathroom window, it was black, with white feet and tiny little wings. It blew a puff of smoke at me before I managed to shoo it, could you help me identify it?

Sounds like the smallest dragon in Europe, the Mouse Dragon, Eurodraco minimus! You might know them under a few other regional names, including Attic Dragons and House Dragons (no relation to the other House Dragon and the world's only domesticated dragon, Aerioferox formosus domesticus), but I'm unsure exactly what they'd be called where you are. Named for their habit of nesting in attics and inside walls, since they only grow to about a foot in length. I think they're working on splitting them apart from other Eurodraco species, so in a few years they might not be part of that genus anymore.

The individual you saw was probably just dusty. Dragons breathing fire is actually a common misconception! It most likely comes from the venomous fangs possessed by wyrms--with that venom in some species causing a specific burning sensation--and specifically the remarkable ability of certain European wyrm species (most prominently the European Lindworm) to spit 1,4-benzoquinone as a defense mechanism. The same chemical compound is sprayed by the bombardier beetle in smaller doses, and smells noxious while being released at nearly boiling temperatures.

[dragonology101]

VERY important question I saw a smallish dragon (like maybe a little over a foot long) poking its head out of a hollow in an oak tree for about two seconds before it disappeared into the hole. It wasn't super brightly colored, maybe some blue-ish tints over brown, and had very pale yellow eyes. I'm in the Willamette in Oregon, do you know what species it might have been? And more importantly, was that oak hollow probably its nest? Does it have babies in there?

Ten thousand percent a Clark's Wyrm, Microdraco clarkii, they're the most common wyrm on the west coast of the United States. Females are marginally more colorful than males, with that blueish hue you mentioned, but the species ranges from primarily green to brown. They usually don't get longer than 40" in the case of females, but it's fully possible the one you saw was a mature adult. They're pretty common in suburban and forested areas, since like the other Microdraco they nest in burrows. Because of that, it's unlikely your wyrm was nesting in there, so it was likely foraging--their size and relatively non-potent venom means they aren't capable of taking larger prey, but they'll eat rats, birds, and small squirrels if they can catch them. I know from experience that Oregon specimens will raid ground and wood-nesting wasp nests this time of year once the threat from the active workers has died down, too, so that may have been what yours was up to.

Fun facts:

They're the only member of their genus to have a spaded tail tip! This makes them really easy to ID despite otherwise looking like "generic wyrm #10," especially for beginner dragonologists.

First scientifically documented in 1805 by William Clark, hence the name.

Like all Microdraco wyrms, the females are solely responsible for incubating the young.

Despite their solitary nature, they will coexist with other wyrms as long as food and burrowing locations remain plentiful. The only time territories are really established is if overcrowding becomes an issue.

Wiggly guys who only bite as a last resort if you grab them, I got peed on by a juvenile today trying to move it off the road because the sun had warmed up the asphalt and he got cosy :(

[dragonology101]

Got a tiny little dragon (around 1 1/2 feet long), brassy color, two little almost antennae on it, frills by the head, who keeps wandering over to sleep on my porch and play in my yard. Seems sociable enough, if I'm outside just sits and chirps at me while flying circles. Is this like stray cat protocol or different?

Oh, that definitely belongs to someone. The only flighted species with mechanosensory "antennae" (not true antennae, but it's close enough that most scientists i know use antennae and tentacles synonymously for them) is the Golden Wyvern, Habrodraconis argentus. They're not native to North America--their natural range is primarily centered in Russia, but they're found elsewhere too--and there's no introduced population, but they're the third most common wyvernry species and there's a fair few people who fly them in the US.

If you can catch it, there should be a tattoo in the ear with the dragon's individual ID number. (You may need a black light in order to see the whole ID number!) There are a few databases online where you can look them up the way you can racing pigeons, although usually with more success since the importing of all dragon species is highly regulated after that big scandal where someone got caught trying to import a shit load of Avidraco eggs and hatchlings into Florida for the pet trade. If you can't find the owner, local zoos are usually the best thing to call, then Fish and Wildlife, who can handle tracking down the owner for you and either reuniting them with their dragon with a slap on the wrist or arresting them and having their dragon removed. Either way, really not a good idea to keep it yourself unless you have a history as a wildlife rehabilitator or dragon hawker.

[dragonology101]

I should have mentioned here, there is another family within Draconidae. They just aren't talked about much in my book because they're the only family unrepresented in North America: the family Draceous is found exclusively in Asia and Eastern Europe.

can i just ask you for dragon facts or do i have to wait until your book is out for that /mostly silly

you can just ask me! my field guide is about north american dragons but i have a bunch of lore hammered out for other species, particularly various supplementary asian species and purpose bred species.

the families within draconidae my book are:

amphipteres, lepidoamphitidae (north american families amphitidae and apodalatus)

wyrms, pachysquamidae

wyverns, dipodracodidae (north american families dialatadraco and nanophidum)

true dragons, draconidae

and the "we don't actually think these guys are draconidae but they're currently classified as such" class hydroserpenes which includes the north american-coast-occurring and inland north america-occurring families dracophidae and megaophidae.

[dragonology101]

caught sight of a HUGE dragon back when i was in college in california--longer than two people tall. deep black feathers but bright yellow-white wings, almost golden colored? i'd love to know anything about it

This is another CALL THE DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE moment! Include the location and year and any identifying details, and especially submit photographs if you took any!

This sounds like a female Western Giant Amphiptere (Gigantogaster chilensis). This is important because they've only been recorded in the United States three times, and all three of those sightings were of juvenile males. Sightings in North America are almost entirely restricted to Mexico, where they have a limited breeding range (they're much more common in Central and South America). While North American specimens typically max out at 20,' once you head south you can find females at upwards of 30' in length with an astounding 40' wingspan! By far the largest amphiptere in the family Lepidoamphitidae, and the only Gigantogaster dragon found in North America.

If CDFW gets back to you and confirms your sighting, update me, and I'll update my field guide to say there are four United States records!

Some fun facts about these big beasts:

Sexually dimorphic in plumage color; while both have black scales, females have those stunning yellow-feathered wings you described, and males have green-feathered wings. In both cases they're lighter as juveniles and darker as adults.

Like most amphipteres, they're largely solitary. They maintain territories, and neighboring males and females will combine their territories in order to breed. They'll raise a single hatchling over the course of a year, and often won't breed again for several years.

Also like most amphipteres, they nest on cliff faces.

Due to their size, they can take down fairly large prey, which they kill through constriction (this is another thing that's typical of amphipteres). In North America their diet is primarily made up of young deer, peccary, jackrabbits, and other mammals, although they'll occasionally take goats and calves from farms.

[dragonology101]

there’s a dragon pair living in the baseball field of the local high school—i think they’re the size of people, or large dogs, and they’re really brightly colored. do you think they’ll lay eggs?

It's possible! They're probably "Marbled Drakes," or properly Marbled Keel-scaled Dragons (Echinodraco montanus canescens). That's the most colorful species you have that's that size; I believe you're in range for some of the Microbipodis wyverns, but they're exceptionally small. Marbled Drakes will dig pretty sizable burrows in dry ground, especially under tree roots.

I'm not even gonna give you a list of facts because I want to talk about one of my favorite topics, captive purpose-bred dragons! Marbled Drakes are the only purpose-bred dragon native to North America. While not domesticated, since there's only one domesticated dragon in the world, they have a long history of being bred in captivity and used primarily for labor and occasionally hunting. This isn't currently the case, since we've pretty much moved past the need for them and unlike dragon "hawking" and similar wyvernry efforts it's pretty difficult to keep them in captivity while fulfilling their needs. Somehow, people managed it better in the bygone days But we have evidence of Marbled Drakes being used by humans for hunting and labor for centuries! There was even an effort in the 1800s to crossbreed them with the (imported) Bruer Dragon, Eurodraco pallidus, another purpose-bred dragon, although as far as I know these efforts were entirely unsuccessful and it's unlikely they would've even created sterile young.