Amphipteres

SUPERORDER dracomorpha

While two great superorders of Dragons have conquered the skyes, superorder Dracomorpha is the one that has, by far, been the most troublesome of the two, developing into a variety of monstrous predators far harder to deal with than other types of dragon. While modern Dracomorpha include flying giants and slithering, winged monstrosities, it is likely Order Pseudodraconidae, the Wyverns, are the most similar in shape and size to their common ancestors. 

ORDER DRACOVIPERA

These dragons diverged from other basal Dracomorpha not long before the development of the mighty weapons of order Eudraconidae. They are characterized by an extreme reduction of the hindlimbs and strengthening of the forelimbs, sacrificing the ground mobility of other dragons from superorder Dracomorpha in favor of extremely energetically efficient flight. The extremely reduced posterior limbs, which many times do not even present claws or fingers any more, have little function beyond acting as extra support for the extended wings of these dragons, also acting as claspers during mating. Amphipteres are a primarily European and West Asian clade, with species ranging from Spain to the westernmost part of Russia, and from the Scandinavian Peninsula to Turkey and Armenia, inhabiting environments as diverse as volcanic areas, mountains, plains and forests. While some species, such as the Spanish Cuélebre, present migratory habits, most species have quite restricted distributions despite their ability to fly, and the reason why species is perfectly demonstrated by today's research subject, Helioptera aurens: The Dragon of Helios.

While the body plan of these dragons is incredibly efficient for flight, it is specialized, perhaps overspecialized, on a particular aspect of flight. Rather than being able to fly for long distances, the Amphipteres have adapted to flying extremely high, catching the wind and updrafts with their expanded wings and floating up to incredible heights, from which they hunt, far away from the eyes of other, bigger flying dragons. They will stay in the air, barely moving from their position, using their tail vane to adjust their position, and taking advantage of their incredible sight to spot prey moving below on the ground. The Helios Dragon will then fold its wings and dive at great speeds, until it has almost hit the ground or, rather, its prey. It will then open its wings to stop their dive at the last moment and bite their prey with a quick movement, allowing their extremely potent venom to kill their prey in a matter of seconds. This venom, in contrast with that of Wyverns, is mostly composed of Neurotoxins rather than Hemotoxins, allowing it to kill prey faster rather than pre-digesting it upon being bitten. Then, the Amphiptere will rip it apart using its powerful arms and feed at its leisure. Thanks to the potency of their venom, these dragons are quite generalist hunters, and will prey on pretty much any animal smaller than themselves they can spot, with some species accustomed to human presence even attacking animals as big as cows and horses. Usually, and in contrast with Wyverns, Amphipteres will need to rest for a few days after a meal, digesting their food and being unable to fly until they have done so.

On land, Amphipteres may seem quite ungainly compared to their majestic flight, but they are still capable of moving quite fast. Most Amphipteres will walk exclusively on their extremely powerful arms, strong enough to lift them into the air, while balancing themselves with their tail. However, recently fed Amphipteres are much heavier and, in extreme cases, might be seen crawling, rather than walking. To protect themselves from other dangerous predators during this very vulnerable period, Amphipteres will hide in the tunnels and caves they inhabit, and which they enter easily thanks to their narrow bodies. Still, one of these dragons caught before reaching its home may be forced to defend itself. While the forelimbs of Amphipteres are incredibly strong, these dragons are not the best fighters even on a good day, and will depend on trying to look scary to drive other creatures away, by extending their enormous wings to look bigger. Some species even have facial and wing markings that accentuate this effect in an attempt to make the potential danger escape. While not adapted to being used as weapons, their strong arms and sharp claws can make good weapons in a desperate situation. Some species, in fact, have almost completely abandoned flight in favor of developing much stronger limbs, therefore adapting to a digging lifestyle and requiring a different way of feeding themselves, like the Scandinavian Nidhogg.

These dragons inhabit a wide variety of environments, For instance, The Helios Dragon lives in the mountainous regions of Greece, where its tan golden scales and spotted patterns help it camouflage against the rock. This camouflage is common to most amphipteres; species that live near volcanoes or rocky areas, like the Middle Eastern Vishap, tend to have grayish colorations, while forest dwelling species will have a green and tan covering, with very few species deviating from this pattern. Some, however, will have a coloration entirely dedicated to intimidation, like the Russian Verechelen and its bright red coat. This bright coloration works great for scaring away other predators, but is also great for mating displays. Most species of Amphiptere are adorned with attractive patterns or structures, such as large horns of the Mediterranean Basmu, which are useful for attracting females and for fighting off competitors. The Helios Dragon, in contrast, is monogamous, and stays with the same couple for life, and so lacks sexual dimorphism or special signals that would be required to attract as many mates as possible. The Helios Dragon couples can often be seen flying and hunting together as a way to strengthen their bonds, shining together in the sunlight like the sun itself, a beautiful sight that resulted in ancient humans naming them after their Sun God. These Dragons will care for their young together, but most Amphiptere species will have either parent care for them alone, with some even leaving their eggs in safe places and letting the hatchlings fend for themselves.

As with many other types of dragon and of animals in general, many species of Amphiptere have clashed with humanity due to their tendency to hunt domestic animals. However, the hunting method of these animals makes them hard to predict or hunt, causing them to only be scared off once their lethal venom has been administered, giving extermination programs limited success at best. Instead, many gubermental programs have chosen to provide free and extensive metal mesh roofing to farmers in order to protect their animals, as well as the farmers themselves. This stops the dive of an Amphiptere without harming it.