Leaping Lizards

[stemturtle]

Just keeping in mind that Xianglong is an actual lizard, while the rest of these are not. So really, the flying lizard group has only existed since the Cretaceous.

Now I know why I had a paleo-nerd nightmare the other night.  I dreamt that someone gave me a Mohawk haircut while I was sleeping.  It's the new pocket protector.  All the attention to taxonomy and semantics!

Well, he was worried that the flying lizard (gliding lizard?) group was extinct by the early Jurassic--when in fact it didn't even get started until the Cretaceous (so far as we know)! What good fortune!

SBell, I appreciate your comments. Your expertise in both paleo and toy collecting makes you a valuable asset to the Forum.  I have learned a lot from you.  I forgot to add a smiley face  when telling about the haircut dream.  My bad.  I thought the dream was pretty funny.  Here is a link to a photo of the Mohawk Guy.

[SBell]

Just keeping in mind that Xianglong is an actual lizard, while the rest of these are not. So really, the flying lizard group has only existed since the Cretaceous.

Now I know why I had a paleo-nerd nightmare the other night.  I dreamt that someone gave me a Mohawk haircut while I was sleeping.  It's the new pocket protector.  All the attention to taxonomy and semantics!

Well, he was worried that the flying lizard (gliding lizard?) group was extinct by the early Jurassic--when in fact it didn't even get started until the Cretaceous (so far as we know)! What good fortune!

Sbell, I appreciate your comments. Your expertise in both paleo and toy collecting makes you a valuable asset to the Forum.  I have learned a lot from you.  I forgot to add a smiley face  when telling about the haircut dream.  My bad.  I thought the dream was pretty funny.  Here is a link to a photo of the Mohawk Guy.

I was just playing along, I just don't use emoticons very often.

[amargasaurus cazaui]

My idea was somewhat basic. I bought this figure at work, in a boxed set with paints for a few dollars. I brought one home and painted it just to see how it would work out.


So taking slimy here as a guide, I would assume one could then sculpt a rib at the points on the side, that correspond to the yellow ribs I painted into the figure, carry those out to the sides some distance, and create a linking membrane for gliding that recreates one of these little guys well.There is even a curve along the side to follow for the wing line, if you look closely.Thoughts? too many toes? is the raised frill down its back likely for a primitive flying reptile? etc

[ZoPteryx]

Cool project Amargasaurus!

The number of toes is fine (but they could be longer), spines down the back would be artistic liscense but as far as I know none have been found on these types of animals.  The main physical problems I see are A) it seems too robust (especially the head) for a gliding animal, & B) the limbs in there current position might make adding wings difficult, especially if you plan on adding them along the mold line.  Otherwise it's a good, nicely detailed figure to start with.

[amargasaurus cazaui]

Thanks for the suggestions Zoptery. I had tenatively figured this as perhaps an Icarosaurus, based on the smaller body length, shorter legs, and general proportions. (The animals seems like it is smaller in length than the other gliding reptiles.) As for the robustness, yes, perhaps a fault of using a land bound animal as basis to modify to a glider..and not something I can adjust too much without switching to another animal I think. The wings as I see them are going to be a tight fit in the given space and will not be perfectly correct with the desired number of ribs unless I place part of them closed against one another in a bunch which actually might be a nice concept, leave the last few gaped to demonstrate the wing pattern. On the opposite side of the animal the  legs are gapped wider which would allow more of the wing to become visible. Interesting idea, and one I might just use.
In this skeletal reconstruction you can see there are thirteen ribs in the wingsThey appear from the side drawing to be placed almost at the top of the sides, or bodyline rather than lower where my molding line is so perhaps I will have to build the wings higher along the sides.

[dinonikes]

Icarasaurus 1/1 scale model- Rush Studios originally made in the 1970's for William Penn museum in PA-I have the mold and have made quite a few of these for collectors-

[amargasaurus cazaui]

Oh now see what is just amazing. Nice pictures. So fill us in..at 1/1 what size is it? about a foot long I would guess? How many ribs does the wing have on each side? I am counting ten, but my eyes are not that great. You said you make them for collectors, so what is your price for one? Go ahead and lay it out for me...Malcom I think? I had not met you yet, but pleased to do so and hope I got the name right.

[ZoPteryx]

Thanks for the suggestions Zoptery. I had tenatively figured this as perhaps an Icarosaurus, based on the smaller body length, shorter legs, and general proportions. (The animals seems like it is smaller in length than the other gliding reptiles.) As for the robustness, yes, perhaps a fault of using a land bound animal as basis to modify to a glider..and not something I can adjust too much without switching to another animal I think. The wings as I see them are going to be a tight fit in the given space and will not be perfectly correct with the desired number of ribs unless I place part of them closed against one another in a bunch which actually might be a nice concept, leave the last few gaped to demonstrate the wing pattern. On the opposite side of the animal the  legs are gapped wider which would allow more of the wing to become visible. Interesting idea, and one I might just use.
In this skeletal reconstruction you can see there are thirteen ribs in the wingsThey appear from the side drawing to be placed almost at the top of the sides, or bodyline rather than lower where my molding line is so perhaps I will have to build the wings higher along the sides.

Careful, that's a David Peters skeletal!

[amargasaurus cazaui]

Oh great, I am doomed I tell you, doomed . ........still it looks pretty close to what the other books show

[stemturtle]

Dinonikes, thanks for posting the nice Icarosaurus.


Araeoscelis (Imaginext)

Lizard-like Araeoscelis was a basal diapsid, sister to the ancestors that diverged into Lepidosauromorpha and Archosauromorpha.  The identification is not marked on the figure. Credit to SBell for suggesting the ID.  Araeoscelis was not a glider, but there are so few early eureptile figures, that we include it here.

[stemturtle]

Flying Dragon (K)           

This Draco lizard was sold on eBay along with three additional reptiles: a frilled lizard, gharial, and tuatara.  All four are marked K following the common names.  Please tell us if you know the name of the manufacturer who used the letter K. 

Good thing that I posted Draco with its prehistoric relatives instead of on the thread for extant reptiles.  I was shocked to discover that the connection from Picasa to Longisquama and the other introductory photos had gotten corrupted.  When I began to re-paste the connection, it mysteriously corrected itself.

EDIT:  see Reply # 32 about the letter K.

[stemturtle]

Megalania? (El Cigarral)         

The lizard in the photo above does not look like it could do much leaping.  That smile might indicate a fondness for El Cigarral cheese.    The figure is not marked with an ID.  Speculation by eBay seller snertus that this is Megalania has support from the size of the throat.  Monitor lizards use gular pumping to assist breathing while running.  It is a reasonable guess.  What do you think about the identification?  Compare it to the photo below of the Dinotales figure (thanks to Roselaar).


Megalania (Kaiyodo)

[stemturtle]

Credit to SBell for posting the name of the maker of the Draco on the Animal Toy Forum .  The "K" appears to be the mark used by the manufacturer for the toys in the Groovy Tube Book: Raging Reptiles! By Innovative Kids.  The Draco is one of a set of 15 reptile figures.  Available on
Amazon.

[Uroplatus]

Hope it's okay to revive this old topic, but i wanted to post this picture here of one of our modern day gliding lizards...
Draco maculatus


It's not easy taking descent pictures of their anatomical features as they are very cryptic and can also stress out very quick but i managed to make this one when he did his morning exercise. 
Thought i would post it here for future references.

I know it is not a toy so of it's not okay to post this here, please excuse me and feel free to remove it again.

Greetings.
Kevin.

[Arul]

If im lucky sometimes i see a draco volans in the tree in front of my house hunting an ant..here its very rare now

[Uroplatus]

If im lucky sometimes i see a draco volans in the tree in front of my house hunting an ant..here its very rare now

Sweet, you must be living in a great place to encounter them in the wild occasionaly.
They actually need the formic acid of ants to keep their digestive system healthy, wich is the hardest part of keeping them thriving if you keep them in captivity.

[Arul]

If im lucky sometimes i see a draco volans in the tree in front of my house hunting an ant..here its very rare now

They actually need the formic acid of ants to keep their digestive system healthy, wich is the hardest part of keeping them thriving if you keep them in captivity.

Ohh okay i see..

[Dilopho]

You guys have seen the plush rex right? The life-sized one that chirps when you pet it? I have one!