DRAGON EVOLUTIONARY THEORY

To bring the creatures of Dragons: A Fantasy Made Real to life, Animal Planet sought the assistance of biologist Dr. Peter J. Hogarth to hypothesize about dragon existence from evolution to extinction. See what he has theorized below and stay tuned for a closer look at each dragon species.

Dragons probably originated as one of many branches of the reptiles, no later than 200,000,000 years ago in the late Triassic. This was a period of great reptile diversification, during which emerged some of the most successful reptile groups, in terms of both abundance and diversification. Dragon evolution echoes the evolution of the archosaurs of the time. Dragons took to the air, as did the pterosaurs, and became aquatic, like the plesiosaurs — ancestors of modern crocodiles and birds. If you will, imagine the dragon family tree…

Tour the Prehistoric Dragon Learn the Evolutionary History of the Prehistoric Dragon

Tour the Marine Dragon Learn the Evolutionary History of the Marine Dragon

Tour the Forest Dragon Learn the Evolutionary History of the Forest Dragon

Tour the Mountain Dragon Learn the Evolutionary History of the Mountain Dragon