‘Dragon’-like creature found perched high on rocky peak in Laos. It’s a new species

Aspen Pflughoeft
Tue, October 17, 2023 

A “dragon”-like creature climbed near the top of a rocky peak in Laos. The animal’s coloring blended seamlessly into the surrounding patchwork of sunlight and shadows.

Well, almost seamlessly.

A scientist was on a bird watching expedition in Khammouane Province in August 2022 when they spotted an “unusual”-looking lizard on the nearby karst rocks, according to a study published Oct. 10 in the journal Zoological Research.

Soon after, a tour guide leading tourists through a zip line course spotted another of these “unusual” lizards, and researchers captured it, the study said. Intrigued, researchers surveyed the area’s limestone karst rocks and captured a second similar-looking lizard.

Taking a closer look, researchers realized they’d discovered a new species: Laodracon carsticola, or the Khammouane karst dragon.

The Khammouane karst dragon is considered “medium-sized,” reaching about 1 foot in length, the study said. It has a “triangular” head, “long and slender” appendages, “bluish-gray” eyes and roughly textured scales.

Photos show the Khammouane karst dragon. Its body is black with a few larger white bands on its back and speckles of white across the rest of its head and limbs. Its belly and a spot under its throat are tinged blue.

A photo shows the well-camouflaged lizard perched on a rock. When still, researchers said these lizards “become almost invisible in the mosaic of sharp shadows and light spots and are difficult to spot unless they start moving.”

Khammouane karst dragons were seen climbing or sitting atop rocky peaks between about 160 feet to 230 feet up, the study said. Locals described the lizards as “rare,” most active in the afternoon and entirely restricted to the rocks.

The new species has so far only been found in one karst formation in Khammouane Province, the study said. This central province is about 260 miles southeast of the capital, Vientiane, and borders Vietnam to the east and Thailand to the west.

Reptile surveys in karst habitats of Khammouane Province have been ongoing for 15 years, according to the study.

The new species “likely evaded earlier discovery due to its very specific habitat preferences of living high on hardly accessible steep karst pinnacles,” researchers said. The construction of a nearby elevated walkway and zip line course also “likely aided the chances of observing this unique (lizard) species.”

Researchers named the new species after its preferred habitat. “Carsticola” is a combination of the German word for limestone, “karst,” and the Latin word for resident, “cola,” the study said.

The new species was identified by its DNA and physical features including its scale texture and pattern, body shape and coloring, the study said. Researchers identified the Khammouane karst dragon as part of a new genus: Laodracon, or the Laos karst dragons.

The research team included Saly Sitthivong, Peter Brakels, Santi Xayyasith, Nathanaël Maury, Sabira Idiiatullina, Parinya Pawangkhanant, Kai Wang, Tan Van Nguyen and Nikolay Poyarkov.