New tiny dragon species named after HBO's Syrax found in Thai highlands
Researchers have identified a new mountain horned lizard, Acanthosaura syrax, in Thailand's Mae Wong National Park and named it after the fictional dragon from “House of the Dragon.”
In a paper published in ZooKeys, Poramad Trivalairat and colleagues reported finding a previously unknown mountain horned dragon, Acanthosaura syrax, high in Thailand’s Mae Wong National Park. The reptile, small and spiny with a yellow-green coloration, was named after the mythical creature ridden by Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen in the HBO series “House of the Dragon.” Genetic analysis showed the lizard is a separate lineage from Acanthosaura lepidogaster, adding the 23rd species to the genus.
The researchers noted the animal’s ability to lay large clutches of eggs, a trait shared with its fictional counterpart. Because the species appears confined to a narrow strip of high-elevation forest, the team cautioned that habitat loss could threaten its survival, hoping the popular name will raise conservation awareness for the region’s fragile ecosystems.
Why it matters
The find expands biodiversity knowledge and highlights the conservation needs of a potentially endangered, narrowly distributed species.
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