Ancient, Oriental, Reptilian.

Greetings. The Cretaceous/Paleogene extinction event was catastrophic, with innumerable forms and species disappearing from the fossil record. A few tough creatures managed to survive the environmental destruction, with some lineages surviving to the present day. The Chinese water dragon is one such ancient animal.

Physignathus cocincinus. A native of southern China and mainland southeast Asia, this large reptile is a representative of a lineage that extends back 120 million years. First described by George Cuvier in 1829, this omnivorous animal has remained unchanged since it diverged from its nearest reptilian relatives back in the early days of the Cretaceous Period. A member of the subfamily Amphibolurinae, the dragon's nearest relatives are native to New Guinea and Australia, with the ancient subfamily found nowhere else on the planet. 

Measuring about a meter in length, Chinese water dragons are sexually dimorphic, and dinural by nature, staying active during daytime hours. The reptile's four limbs are long and strong, each ending in five sharp claws. An enlarged crest runs down the spine of males and females of the species, with green being the predominant color of adults, while young have more of a greenish turquoise color scheme. Adults are semi-arboreal, with the species capable of swimming long distances to escape predators. Males are highly aggressive towards each other, while females and young are far less belligerent.

Omnivorous and opportunistic, Chinese water dragons feed on eggs, frogs, fruit, snails, snakes, insects, and vegetables, among other food sources. The species prefers dense, subtropical forests, with their habitats featuring humid conditions and less severe seasonal changes. They can be found at elevations ranging from 50 meters to 820 meters in altitude, although the species' population density declines above the 270 meter threshold. Chinese water dragons live about 20 years in their natural environments. 

Thank you for your time and consideration.