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Silver Dragon Breath dragon forums
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Solid
Dragonstar
Joined: 13 Mar 2008
Posts: 969
Location: The other side of somewhere.
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 Posted: Fri 14 Mar 2008 13:23 Post subject: What really are dragons? |
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Now if you take a good look at a dragon you see a lot of things on it. A dragon has six limbs, four legs and two wings, this could mean its a bug. A dragon also has scales this mean is a lizard, right? Well also a dragon's bone would be hollow like a bird so it could fly. So what would you say a dragon is? Would it be so "out there" would it be just a dragon?
But what about dolphins (I cant spell that sorry) They live under water, look like a fish and smell like a fish, but they're mammals! Same goes for the platypus (again how would you spell that?). All these are considered something they're not. So what would a dragon be considered?
I corrected the post for you. Try using a spelling corrector next time. ~Namhias. |
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Ragnarok
Global Moderator
Joined: 27 Sep 2004
Posts: 1091
Location: Tucson, AZ, USA.
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| Posted: Fri 14 Mar 2008 15:17 Post subject: Re: What really are dragons? |
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...It's been a while since I've seen a post which has been almost completely wrong. So much so, that I'm having some trouble sorting it all out.
| Solid wrote: |
| Now if you take a good look at a dragon you see alot of things it. A dragon has six limbs, four legs and two wings, this could mean its a bug. |
"Bug" is usually a very informal term, and when used technically, refers only to the group Hemiptera, which is a very small subset of insects. I assume, therefore, that you're using it to refer to insects in general, but that is again incorrect, as the only remotely related feature of that class is the possession of six legs, as opposed to six limbs, which you are citing. From that and the other criteria for classification as an insect, the traditional western dragon would not qualify.
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| A dragon also has scales this mean is a lizard, right? |
Scales are not unique to lizards, but are a distinguishing trait of reptiles in general. Reptiles are also cold blooded, and possess either four (in most cases) or zero (snakes) legs. The traditional western would, again, not qualify, as it possesses a third pair of limbs.
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| Well also a dragons bone would be hollow like a bird so it could fly. So what would you say a dragon is? |
Avians have their own set of criteria, one of which is bipedalism, which dragons fail outright.
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| Would it be so "out there" would it be just a dragon? |
If they actually existed, they would probably have to be their own classification. No where in the fossil record or classification systems can four-legged two-winged organisms be found, so either an existing class would need to be redefined, or a new one would have to be created.
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| But what about dolphins (I cant spell that sorry) There live under water look like a fish and smell like a fish but there mamales! |
The only things that are right here are that they're aquatic mammals.
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| Same goes it the platapus (again how would you spell that?). |
The platypus, as the joke goes, was something that God put together out of leftover parts at the end of creation. More seriously, though, it meets the criteria for a mammal, so there's no problem in classifying it as one.
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| All these are consided something there not. |
No, they're all classified as exactly what they are.
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| So what would a dragon be considered? |
If they existed, unique. They fit well enough in the scientific classification hierarchy until the "Class" level, so a new one would have to be created for them.
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Dragons Creed
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Joined: 08 Jan 2008
Posts: 44
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| Posted: Fri 14 Mar 2008 15:38 Post subject: |
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There are also dragons with only two legs and two wings. I would not call them a type of bug, as they are made completely different then other creatures.
I would say they are a type of reptile, much like the dinosaurs. Specifically like some of the flying dinosuars that are not trully conisdered one, but are really an archosaur.
The University of California Museum of Paleontology has a description on the characteristics of archosaurs:
"This continues the tetrapod trend of the reduction of skull bones by the fusion of multiple bones and the opening of fenestrae in the skull. This helps to lighten the skull, provides more room for muscles and other tissues, and allows more skull flexibility (kinesis) when eating. Other typical archosaurian characteristics include another opening in the lower jaw (the mandibular fenestra), a high narrow skull with a pointed snout, teeth set in sockets (called thecodont tooth implantation), and a modified ankle joint."
This sounds a lot like what a dragon would be classified as, or close to it at least. The part that stood out to me is the narrow skull and teeth set in sockets. Dragons are depicted with a narrow skull somewhat like a crocodile. Also, I know of no stories about dragons losing teeth like other animals do.
I just learned of archosaurs, so I could be wrong and appologize, but it sounds a lot like what I would conisder a dragon to be. |
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Solid
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Joined: 13 Mar 2008
Posts: 969
Location: The other side of somewhere.
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| Posted: Fri 14 Mar 2008 17:05 Post subject: |
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Yeah, sorry about the typing I was in a hurry, I just needed to text it out. If you want me to type in prefect grammar and anything like that, just ask. You were a little hard on me. It felt insulting the way you typed it. I used the words "bug" and "lizard' because I knew most people would of course know that I am talking of both insects and reptiles.
There a certain bipedal dragon a wyvern I think.
The dolphin and platypus were just examples. The dolphin was once a fish and the platypus was just a platypus. If you consider a dragon a reptile right off, (most people do,) you would be wrong. A dragon like you said would have it own class.
sorry about the post I was just hurry though and did not have the time to reread it. Sorry I did not quote you. I have bad luck with quoting, but I'm sure you can find your way. |
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Namhias
Shining Dragonstar
Joined: 19 Jan 2006
Posts: 1055
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| Posted: Fri 14 Mar 2008 18:05 Post subject: |
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Actually, dolphins used to be land creatures before they became aquatic creatures.
Also, try using correct spelling and grammar in the future. |
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Shadrel
Dragonstar
Joined: 29 Nov 2007
Posts: 156
Location: Vestroia
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| Posted: Fri 14 Mar 2008 18:34 Post subject: |
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Here is one: Take the Velociraptors of the prehistoric period. They look reptilian, but are in fact more related to birds. They act sorta like birds do, also, in their own way.
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Ragnarok
Global Moderator
Joined: 27 Sep 2004
Posts: 1091
Location: Tucson, AZ, USA.
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| Posted: Sat 15 Mar 2008 1:11 Post subject: |
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| Solid wrote: |
| You were a little hard on me. It felt insulting the way you typed it. |
I'm hard on everyone, but no offense was intended. I do, however, tend to grade (so to speak) rather harshly on basic factual accuracy. Intent is rather difficult to judge when all you can see are the words, and what I saw was a collection of factually incomplete or incorrect statements.
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| There a certain bipedal dragon a wyvern I think. |
Yes, but that design is more the exception, rather than the rule.
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| The dolphin and platypus were just examples. The dolphin was once a fish and the platypus was just a platypus. |
The dolphin was, as Namhias pointed out, never a fish, and, while the platypus was originally considered a hoax, it was accepted as a mammal pretty quickly.
| Shadrel wrote: |
| Here is one: Take the Velociraptors of the prehistoric period. They look reptilian, but are in fact more related to birds. |
Actually, recent discoveries indicate that they did, in fact, possess feathers, which could make them look slightly more avian.
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| hey act sorta like birds do, also, in their own way. |
That's impossible to know. We don't have any to study in the wild.
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To win against an opponent stronger than yourself, you must not be weaker than that opponent. - Takamachi Nanoha |
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albvan
Shining Dragonstar
Joined: 24 Sep 2005
Posts: 322
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| Posted: Sat 15 Mar 2008 8:50 Post subject: |
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I think that a six-limbed dragon wouldn't be a reptile, and not even a tetrapod, because all amphibians, reptiles, mammals and avians have four limbs, or rudiments of four limbs. Six-limbed dragons would be a completely different branch of vertebrates, that evolved from fish independently of tetrapods. Their similarity to reptiles would just be a result of living in the same environment, not of evolution.
A four-limbed dragon could be an archosaur, I agree. |
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