For sceptics
Consider how many creatures out there that are still unknown to us. Also, think of the first stories of our duck billed platypus in 1797. They laughed, then again wouldn't you? Because how could an egg laying mammal with a ducks beak and webbed feet exist. Even with evidence most people claimed fraud and fake up until the late 1800's. Dragons are exactly the same, except, no one has put on their big boy pants and mounted on an expedition to bring dragons the attention they deserve. ( adaption of-Forward: An introduction to dragonology, from "dragonology: the complete book of dragons")
Western Dragons
Western Dragons are thought to be closely related even though they all have many differences between them. An example is the European Dragons fiery breath going against the frost dragon whose breath will give anything it touches frostbite, then there is the knucker who has no fire breath or a frostbite inducing breath.
The most known qualities of the European Dragons, are their ability to breathe fire and their love of treasure and all things shiny. They know and speak many languages and they shed their skintriennially. Most live in a mountain or sea cave and as an adult are 45 ft long and 13 to 17 ft in height. Their colors are commonly seen as red, green, and black. They attack with their fire, tail, claws, or horns and usually eat cattle, sheep, and if unavoidable, humans.
Frost dragons migrate annual from Arctic to Antarctic and back. Their lair is a sea facing cave usually hollowed out from a glacier or an iceberg. The adult dimensions of a frost dragon are 40 ft in length and 12 to 15 ft in height. Most of them are pure white with the occasional dragon having a blue or pink tinge to them. They attack with their tail, claws, horns, or their "frost/snow breath". Their diet consists of giant squid, polar bears, orcas, walrus, and leopard seals.
Eastern Dragons
Eastern Dragons are seen as a helper to mankind, this comes from all of the different interactions between man and the different types of dragons. Dragons from the east are also given respect and are celebrated unlike their western counterparts that are usually only brought up in the speaking of their death and mutilation.
Draco Orientalis have their nests in underwater caves and grottos where they store the pearls and opals they hoard. Most of them are 40 ft long and 12 to 15 ft high. They are most commonly blue, black, white, red, or yellow. Lungs attack with their horns, teeth and claws and they eat birds and fish.
Being the lover of high altitudes, you can find the Tibetan dragon on the open mountainside or in a shallow den. They are 40 ft long and about 10 to 12 ft high. Their scales are most commonly red along with their horns and tails. Tibetan dragons eat yetis and yaks and attack their prey by biting or constricting them like a boa constrictor.
Skeletal Structure
The skeletal structure of dragons is similar to the structure of other vertebrates. The largest concerns about the structure is how they have four legs and two wings and how they don't have the furcula (wishbone) that flight muscles are attacked to like birds. Dragons seem to just have large and hollow highly calcified bones that helps them since they don't have the wishbone.
Muscle Structure
Their muscles and the structure of them are like that of an extremely large lizard. (Asian Water Monitor Maybe?) They also have other features that are related to those of birds. A difference from both lizards and birds is the large bundle of muscle at the base of the wings that help the dragons fly. This muscle is called the latissimus dorsi.
External Features
- Wings: Even though not all dragons have them they are still important to the dragon. Their wings are bat like and even have small "fingers" that they use to climb and hold on to other things.
- Scales: Their scales are extremely tough and strong. They all vary in color, shape and size but they have the same purpose. Scales are built for resisting most that is thrown their way, and they can even be fashioned into bulletproof armour if the right tools are used.
- Claws: The claws of a common dragon are a lot like our fingernails. They are made of keratin and yes if a dragon does suddenly go all girly, it can trim, shape, and polish its nails.
Beowulf was a Danish King and had no choice but to become a dragonslayer when a dragon became angry with his kingdom after his cup was stolen. He went to fight the dragon alone and became badly bitten and burned and almost died. The only reason he survived was because his servant Wisglaf stabbed the dragon and gave Beowulf the opportunity to kill it.
Credits:
Created with images by Gonmi - "Dragón" • Beverly & Pack - "Fire Breathing Mythical Dragon" • STRIKE TNB OS ATK - "dragon00" • Dominic's pics - "Chinoiserie Dragon" • vidalia_11 - "Beowulf" • Gwydion M. Williams - "2008_07_18rDSC00093_1h Fu Hsi and Nuwa" • alanbob41 - "Beowulf" Dragonology: The complete book of dragons by Ernest Drake