Amphipteres

SUPERORDER dracomorpha

While two great superorders of Dragons have conquered the skies, 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 DRACONIDAE

While all members of clade Dracomorpha are capable of flying thanks to their methane flotation sacs, the dragons we will meet today have far surpassed the possibilities of this flight mechanism, turning it not only on a tool for increased movement, but one of the mightiest weapons the world has ever seen. Dragons belonging to order Draconidae have been known to humanity by many names, but most of them betray what makes them unique: Flame Dragons, Salamanders, or Fire-Breathing Dragons. These names are far from being symbolic, with fire breathing being a very real adaptation of this clade, achieved thanks to the methane produced by their symbiotic gut bacteria, which is then directed towards a specialized organ known as the ignition box.

This organ is located near the back of the throat, and first evolved as a way to get rid of excess methane produced by the dragon's digestive system. This methane is directed towards the ignition box through muscular contractions and concentrated within it, sealed thanks to two specialized sphincters that prevent gas from leaking back to the digestive system or towards the dragon's mouth. Inside this box, the methane will be pressurized and heated through vibrations of the muscle tissue around it, until reaching its optimal temperature. Then, the dragon will open the front valve of its ignition box and breathe out with great force. The carbon dioxide produced by the dragon’s respiration will force the methane out, at the same time protecting the dragon by preventing the methane from igniting. However, once the gas produced begins dissipating and the heated methane reacts with the surrounding oxygen, a powerful flame will be produced, far enough from the dragon’s mouth to avoid harming it. To help protect the dragon from the pressurized methane and the resulting flame, the ignition box and mouth of these dragons are heavily ossified, and the fastness with which the process is performed further prevents damage to the dragon’s tissues.

The fire breathing of order Draconidae is useful for mating rituals or defending their territory, but its main use comes during their hunts. Most dragons will use this weapon to light dry vegetation aflame and chase fleeing animals either by air or by running, then catching them with a quick movement from their long neck. Indeed, despite their large size, they are still capable of flying, helped by their flotation sac and body plan convergent with that of Azhdarchid pterosaurs, including strong anterior limbs that help them take flight and a short tail to reduce drag. While most dragons only fly as a way to catch up to prey, some, like the South American Amaru, will take advantage of their weight and steep environment to fall heavily on top of their prey by surprise, while others, like the Greek Chimaira, will take advantage of camouflage and patterns to attract other predators, fooled into thinking they are the hunters rather than the hunted. Due to their very different hunting methods, the finer details of their anatomy have adapted to allow them to hunt an incredibly wide range of prey. Some dragons have a short snout used to asphyxiate big prey or saber-like teeth that allow them to inflict deadly wounds, like the Middle Eastern Musmahhu. Some more specialized dragons have longer jaws with backwards facing teeth, useful for fishing, or even long, pointy beaks that allow them to hunt small prey. While most Dragons will occasionally feed on carrion, as most predators do, many have adapted into a fully scavenging lifestyle.

Given their aggressiveness, adaptability and ease of movement, these dragons thrive across the warmer parts of Europe and Asia, with some species having even reached South America, where they face scarce competition from other types of dragon. While their habitats and lifestyles are extremely varied, most dragons tend to live and hunt near bodies of water where prey are more abundant and tend to rest within caves. And, living in such varied environments, the color of dragons tends to vary as much, ranging from green and tan, very useful as camouflage for the smallest species, deep black to hide in caves like the Russian Zmei, or even gold, orange, or white, usually accompanied by striking patterns useful for intraspecific displays.

Indeed, signaling patterns and structures, usually a result of sexual dimorphism, can be very noticeable in fire-breathing dragons. Most species will impress females through colorful and even iridescent scales, such as those of the Hungarian Sarkany, or displays of their vitality and good health, including complex dances that tend to involve breathing fire, quite a meaningful statement, given using this weapon in excess will leave them unable to fly for a while or to defend themselves from other dragons. Since these dragons do not hunt through precise air movements, unlike Wyverns or Amphipteres, they usually present larger structures meant to help them impress potential mates, including dewlaps, crests and even large horns and head ornaments like those of the Usumgallu. Once they have mated, both parents will take care of the eggs, taking turns to hunt while the other protects the nest. While some species will have either parent leave once the young are born, many species, such as the English Spiny Tailed Dragon will remain and form large family groups, which stay together until the young have fully matured, aggressively defending their territory from intruders.

While the image of Fire Breathing Dragons as towering, imposing predators rising into the skies is quite ingrained in human culture, not all members of clade Draconidae fit the bill, with some species being, in fact, as small as some Wyverns. These small dragons, such as the St. Georges Dragon, depend on intimidation displays, spines and quills, and their fire to protect themselves from larger predators. Other Dragons, in contrast, have all but lost their ability to fly due to developing vastly different lifestyles, including almost drake-like, heavily armored species, or Dragons that have become subterranean like the Wawel Smok.

Due to the adaptability, size and mighty weapons of these Dragons, it is not surprising that they have found themselves clashing with humanity far more often than other types of dragons. Their size makes them far more capable of taking down larger prey compared to Wyverns, Amphipteres and even some Drakes, while their ability to fly makes them much more mobile than Wyrms and Sea Serpents, and their ability to breathe fire turns them into a much more destructive species to human settlements than almost any known to man. Because of this, humanity has had to find ways to prevent their attacks from being a constant danger. In the best cases, some settlements have taken to leaving offerings for Dragons in order to sate their hunger, or monitoring their hunting areas to avoid surprise encounters, but by far the preferred method has been extermination, a practice that has sadly decimated the wild Dragon populations. These hunts have a relatively high degree of success, and while the meat of these dragons is unpalatable and barely edible, their bodies and bones have often been used to make trophies, with the preserved bodies of many large dragons, such as the French Gargouille, still being used to adorn cities and towns. However, not all dragons have had it as bad in all parts of the world. While the European species have certainly faced a good degree of persecution, Fire Breathing Dragons in other parts of the world have been left alone without much issue, and even successfully tamed with the appropriate measures. In modern times, when the value of these creatures to the environment is much better understood, Dragon watching has become quite normal in certain places, becoming an important part of their culture and tourist industry.