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Fairy Dragon Anatomy
~ Skeletal System
~ Internal Organs
~ Muscular system
~ External features
~ Senses
Skeletal System:
The skeleton of a Fairy dragon is very lightly built, the bones being very thin and graceful. They are also hollow like those of most other dragons. They have a delicate skull with a large braincase, a long thin neck, a sleek athletic body, and a tapering, slender tail. Their legs are somewhat shorter in proportion than those of other dragons, with the exception of the Eastern dragon. Fairy dragons also have a smaller ribcage compared to those of other flying dragon families, possibly because they are much smaller and therefore need less brute strength to fly. They have smaller chest muscles, and a smaller sternum to which those muscles are attached. The whole dragon can be about a foot long at the absolute maximum, including the tail, but they can be much smaller; it depends on the species.
An interesting point on the skeleton is the Fairy dragon's skull. This has very large orbits, and for nectar-eating dragons, the naris is situated further back along the muzzle than on other dragons. Because these Fairy dragons feed substantially on nectar, their nostrils may be further back so the animal doesn't get pollen up its nose while feeding. The muzzle is also very long and skinny, presumably so the dragon can reach into flowers easier. On the whole, the jaws are also much weaker than those of other Fairy dragons. Some Fairy dragon species eat only nectar, and don't possess teeth. Others eat only insects, and have small needle-like teeth similar to those of reptiles. The teeth are all the same length, ie. the canines are not prominent, and the jaws are reasonably powerful. Fruit and nut-eating dragons have enlarged canines and the strongest jaws of all the Fairy dragons, used to break through tough fruit skins or crack the shell on nuts and seeds.
Comparative anatomy drawing of Fairy dragon skulls
Three generalised Fairy dragon skulls can be seen in picture up, each depicting a different possible diet for the animal, and also a rudimentary means of classification (through morphological means only). As in the other anatomy essays, it is purely hypothetical and illustrates just a portion of the wide diversity of the dragon.
A feature unique to the Fairy dragon are the unusual wings. Fairy dragons actually have two sets of wings, rather like a butterfly. The wings themselves only have one supporting bone per individual wing. The rest of the wings structural support is made up of chitin, the same material that forms the exoskeleton in arthropods. The wings are extremely rigid, and can be folded back from the shoulder to rest along the flanks, but can't be folded in on themselves to be tucked away like the wings of the Western dragon. The wings also have a small attachment point with the body, they attach just behind the shoulder. In Western dragons, the wing webbing extends from the shoulder almost to the thigh, providing stability when flying. This is a more effective system. The Fairy dragon lacks this, possibly because it spends much time hovering over flowers, hummingbird-style. A flying position with the head and chest higher than the rest of the body would favour hovering. (Because the Fairy dragon has two sets of wings, it actually has eight limbs!)
Fairy dragon wing
A Fairy dragon that has two pairs of wings, four in total. Of course, Fairy dragons are commonly depicted with one pair, or with the fore and hindwings fused into one large flight surface. Thus, there is enormous morphological variation present.
Rather than having a leathery surface like the wings of Western dragons, those of Fairy dragons are made of tiny overlapping scales (similar to the insect order Lepidoptera: moths and butterflies). The supporting structures also differ in that many are chitinous rather than completely mineralised (eg. as in bone), and are arranged differently to those in other dragons. There are no joints within the wing; the only point of articulation is where the wing meets the scapula. The chitin struts are slightly flexible however.
Fairy dragon tailfin
The tailfin, may have a similar appearance to the wings. Supporting structural components are also made of chitin.
The claws also warrant special note. They are extremely sharp and very hooked, as the dragon often clings to tree trunks (all Fairy dragons are excellent climbers). The claws are used constantly for traction when climbing, and are non-retractable.
Internal Organs:
The Fairy dragon is very similar internally to other dragons, except it lacks a breath weapon, and thus lacks the organ system associated with this. Instead, if threatened, Fairy dragons may sometimes spit hydrochloric acid (HCl) at their attacker. This is spat up directly from the stomach, and the dragon usually aims at the invaders eyes (it has good aim!). However, the dragon doesn't like to do this often as it can damage its own tooth enamel, and also tastes terrible! It is generally used as a last defence when the dragon is cornered.
The Fairy dragon's liver is particularly large, this is because it eats a diet high in sugar, and the liver stores the excess sugars as glycogen. The Fairy dragon is usually so energetic that the sugar isn't stored there very long though! It also uses a lot of energy to keep itself warm, as it is so small and slender it is harder to keep body heat in, (even though the dragon is endothermic). The digestive tract isn't very long though as the bulk of the dragon's diet is made up of glucose and protein which don't require as much digestion as complex carbohydrates like starch or cellulose.
The Fairy dragon has a large brain, with a large amount dedicated to interpreting the outside environment, ie. the senses. Also, coordination is very important to the Fairy dragon which needs to beat both pairs of wings in perfect sync to generate maximum thrust for flight.
Muscular System:
Like all dragons, the Fairy dragon is an extremely muscular little animal. It has large chest muscles, used for flight, and large muscles around its thighs, enabling it to leap into the air from flat ground. Its jaws, although not very strong as they don't need to be, are netherless still reasonably well-muscled. On the whole, the Fairy dragon's body is very supple, as with all dragons, and as a result it is a very flexible animal. It can usually worm is way out of a predators grasp!
It is fascinating that some smaller species of Fairy dragon don't have red blood, so their muscles do not appear red in colour. In most animals, oxygen in blood is carried around in a pigment called haemoglobin. Each individual haemoglobin has four iron atoms; it is these atoms that carry the oxygen. When iron becomes oxidised, it turns red, accounting for red blood. Some Fairy dragons have an alternate pigment in their blood called haemocyanin, which contains copper instead of iron. This same pigment is found in some species of crustacean, such as the common lobster (Homarus vulgaris), and is found in the blood plasma, instead of blood cells. This pigment means the Fairy dragon's blood is blue, not red, as oxidised copper is blue. The dragons that express this trait tend to be more primitive than those which have haemoglobin. They have been very poorly studied so far as they are very rare and tiny in size, typically smaller than mice. The reason for the alternate pigment is unknown.
The Fairy dragon's tail is also well-muscled, as it is used as a rudder and stabilises the dragon when in flight.
External Features:
The Fairy dragon, as described before, is very small in size, and often brightly coloured. They live mainly in areas with high amounts of vegetation, although there is one desert-dweller known, and none live in alpine regions where it is far too cold. The genetics of dragon hide colour is explained in detail in the Western dragon Anatomy page.
In addition to colours that can be seen under the familiar spectrum of light that humans see in, Fairy dragons can also have colour patterns that are visible under ultra-violet light. Some parrots also display this, and for dragons, it is probably for the same reason; to display to the opposite sex.
The wings of Fairy dragons are not leathery skin like those of Western dragons, but are instead made up of millions of tiny overlapping scales like butterfly wings. The scales are composed of keratin, a structural protein. They are small, but still larger than the scales on butterfly wings. The wings are often splashed with bright colours, or alternately may be coloured to camouflage with the dragon's surroundings. One especially small species of Fairy dragon has wings that perfectly resemble green leaves, as it lives in leafy forested areas.
Also brilliantly hued are the Fairy dragon's eyes, that often resemble glowing precious jewels. There are often fins and other adornments around the head and spine, making Fairy dragons possibly the least aerodynamic of the flying dragons. These decorations however help attract mates, hard to do in forests where visibility is restricted, and they also help disguise the dragon's outline from potential dangers. Because visibility is hampered in forested areas, Fairy dragons often communicate with other dragons using a loud trumpeting call that subsides into trills and chirps that are said to sound like very sweet bird calls.
The large tail fin, that is used as a rudder, is usually coloured the same as the wings. In some species it is larger than in others. Species that eat insects exclusively tend to have a smaller fin. These dragons hunt for insects on tree trunks and therefore don't need a stabilising tail fin as much, because they do less flying.
Senses:
All dragons necessarily have outstanding senses, and the Fairy dragon is no exception. Its most sophisticated sense is vision. The sense of sight differs between the habitat and kinds of food each species eats. The fruit and nectar-eating species have especially good colour vision with a high proportion of cone cells in their retinas, used for picking out delectables at a distance! They are strictly diurnal and thus do not come out at night, because flowers usually close at night, and brightly coloured fruit is easier to spot during daylight. These dragons have relatively poor night vision.
Insect-eating dragons can hunt either during the day or at night, as insects are available as munchies around the clock. These dragons have a higher proportion of rod cells in their retinas, as rods are sensitive to movement, and also to low light levels. Plus, insect-eaters have a tapetum (reflective layer of cells) behind the eye to reflect light back into the retina. In addition, all dragons have slitted pupils, which can open or close more completely in response to light than circular pupils, making the dragon's vision more adaptable.
The desert-dwelling Fairy dragon hunts exclusively at night, burrowing underground during the heat of the day. At night it feeds on cicadas, spiders and other arthropods. This dragon has the least amount of cone cells of any Fairy dragon, with very poor colour vision. On the other hand, it has the finest night vision of all Fairy dragon species, with enormous hypnotic eyes. It should also be noted that most Fairy dragons are able to see into the ultra-violet spectrum.
Scent is also very important, and the Fairy dragon has a well-developed sense of smell, which is needed to sniff out hiding insects, flowers, or ripe fruit. Hearing is of importance too, especially in the rainforest where it is used almost exclusively as a means of communication. The large pinna (external ear flap) of the Fairy dragon can be twisted to any angle the animal chooses.
There is a relatively large and primitive species of Fairy dragon that uses its hearing exclusively to hunt. This dragon lives on tree trunks, and is airborne so seldom that it doesn't have any wings, instead it has evolved smaller appendages that are similar to the gliding membranes of the Australian sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps), flaps of skin that extend between its wrists and ankles, so it can only glide between trees (studies show that it has hollow bones, although the flight muscles and sternum are smaller than in other dragons. It is thought that this dragon may be a common ancestor to the other Fairy dragon families). This species puts its ears to tree bark, listening for the sound of insects scurrying underneath. (The Madagascan aye-aye, Daubentonia madagascariensis also employs this technique). If an insect is heard, the dragon scrapes the bark off with its sharp claws, exposing the insect, which is quickly relished!
Post je objavljen 29.01.2006. u 00:18 sati.