Speculative evolution || Fire Dragon

Instructions

Art: A young Fire Dragon yawns as he begins to awaken from his slumber. Roaming across the swamps of Australia, the Fire Dragon (Drakon pyrkagia) is a rare but terrifying sight to behold. While it's hunting strategy isn't quite what the myths suggest, it is no doubt that this creature is the undisputed tyrant of the continent. The only thing a dragon has to fear is an even larger dragon... Description The Fire Dragon is a massive beast; the largest individual was a male that was recorded to have a wingspan of 10 meters while measuring 12 meters long and 4.75 meters tall. Its weight is unknown, although some estimates have ranged between 5 - 8 tons. Strangely, the Fire Dragon is flightless despite its massive wingspan. Instead, it uses its wings as shields to protect itself from attacks. The Fire Dragon is crowned with a multitude of horns. These horns are larger in the male and are usually used for display. On the other end of the creature, its tail is tipped with a series of spikes fused together to create a structure similar to that of Stegouros. These spikes can slide against each other to create a rattling sound, in which the dragon uses to intimidate rivals. Diet Unlike its monitor lizard relatives, the Fire Dragon is a nocturnal predator. It initially preyed on only kangaroos, but the introduction of deer, water buffalo and feral pigs would put all of these invasive mammals on its menu. Despite popular belief, it is unable to breath fire. Instead, it relies on an even deadlier ranged weapon to hunt its prey: the dragon fires out a boiling chemical spray from its mouth, similar to that of the bombardier beetle. This highly explosive liquid can be fired from up to a distance of 6.3 metres and is usually quite effective at dealing with its target. If the prey manages to get away, the dragon will simply track it down thanks to its excellent sense of smell. Behaviour The Fire Dragon is highly territorial. Males usually tolerate females within their territory, but they will drive out any rival males in their vicinity. Males also have a special affliction with treasures such as gold and rubies. They will decorate their lairs with these treasures and will protect them from would be thieves. Trivia Female dragons will chose their mates based on how decorated their lairs are. The more treasures are in the lair, the higher the chances of the female accepting the male as her mate. The Fire Dragon gets its name for one particular reason: during a bush fire it will attempt to spread it in order to scare its prey. To do this, the dragon will rear up onto its hind legs and flap its wings to blow the fire in a certain direction. It will then attempt to grab some prey fleeing from the fire.