User blog:SilverTiger12/A Review of Dracoform Taxonomy

The dragons and their kindred species are among the most innately magical and biologically complex creatures of the Material plane, but their reclusiveness and, in the case of many species, rarity, has prevented any major taxonomic work on the group. This article seeks to rectify that by examining the internal taxonomic relations of the dragonkind. Undead dragons are not treated here, as they are by their nature not independent species at all but non-living things created from the bodies of other species. This article also relies more on environmental, magical, and otherwise biological similarities and affinities than on any supposed lines of evolutionary descent for its organization.


 * See Hall 1983 ("Landragons" in Dragon #74) for early commentary on the taxonomic distance between Reptilia and Dracoformes. He notes that dragons form an isolated group that is only distantly related to reptiles, but only considers there to be two genera, Draco and Drogas.

Systemic Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Dracoformes

Dracoformes is the class that encompasses all true dragons and a number of other, related species. Physiological characteristics apparently include warm-bloodedness (probably homeothermic), scaly skin, and oviparity, among others.

Internal Systematics
Order: Dracomorpha - the true dragons.
 * Family: Draconidae - the classical dragons
 * Subfamily: Chrominae - the chromatic dragons
 * Genus: Draco
 * Draco conflagratio, the red dragon
 * Draco electricus, the blue dragon
 * Draco frigidus, the white dragon
 * Draco subvenator, the purple dragon
 * Draco energus, the rainbow dragon
 * Genus: Chromadraco
 * Chromadraco causticus, the black dragon
 * Chromadraco chlorinous, the green dragon
 * Chromadraco terribilis, the gray dragon
 * Chromadraco ridiculatus, the pink dragon
 * Chromadraco explosivus, the orange dragon
 * Genus: Parachromadraco
 * Parachromadraco isolatus, the yellow dragon
 * Parachromadraco salinus, the salt dragon
 * Parachromadraco pulvis, the brown dragon
 * Subfamily: Metallinae - the metallic dragons
 * Tribe: Metallini
 * Genus: Metallidraco
 * Metallidraco gerus, the bronze dragon
 * Metallidraco magus, the electrum dragon
 * Metallidraco veloxargent, the mercury dragon
 * Metallidraco mithralensis, the mithril dragon
 * Genus: Nobilidraco
 * Nobilidraco dux, the gold dragon
 * Nobilidraco impudentius, the brass dragon
 * Nobilidraco comes, the copper dragon
 * Nobilidraco historia, the orium dragon
 * Genus: Trabeadraco,
 * Trabeadraco argentum, the silver dragon
 * Trabeadraco canticum, the song dragon
 * Trabeadraco ferroaccipiter, the steel dragon
 * Genus: Nebuladraco
 * Nebuladraco obscura, mist dragon
 * Tribe: Ferrini - the ferrous dragons
 * Genus: Ferrodraco
 * Ferrodraco ferrotyran, the iron dragon
 * Ferrodraco tyrancaeruleum, the cobalt dragon
 * Ferrodraco ferrovindex, the tungsten dragon
 * Ferrodraco lucetglacies, the chrome dragon
 * Ferrodraco tenacitus, the nickel dragon
 * Subfamily: Geminae - the gem dragons
 * Genus: Psigeminus
 * Psigeminus aleithilos, the amethyst dragon
 * Psigeminus smargadus, the emerald dragon
 * Psigeminus hrodelus, the crystal dragon
 * Psigeminus charismos, the sapphire dragon
 * Psigeminus tithonnas, the topaz dragon
 * Psigeminus seradessus, the obsidian dragon
 * Psigeminus seismos, the beljuril dragon
 * Genus: Semigeminus
 * Semigeminus rarus, the jacinth dragon
 * Semigeminus jadus, the jade dragon
 * Semigeminus lunethros, the moonstone dragon
 * Semigeminus clarainimicus, the pearl dragon
 * Semigeminus silvectri, the amber dragon
 * Family: Karadraconidae - the lung dragons. It must be noted that the yu lung is not a separate species, but instead the common word for the larval form of the different lung species.
 * Genus: Orienlung
 * Orienlung pan, the pan lung
 * Orienlung shen, the shen lung
 * Orienlung tien, the t'ien lung
 * Orienlung chiang, the chiang lung
 * Orienlung tunmi, the tun mi lung
 * Genus: Orienryo
 * Orienryo wang, the lung wang
 * Genus: Orientatsu
 * Orientatsu li, the li lung
 * Family: Xenodraconidae - the planar dragons
 * Subfamily: Potamidrakinae
 * Genus: Memorumbros
 * Memorumbros memorumbros, the Styx dragon
 * Genus: Potamidracos
 * Potamidracos potamidraco, the Oceanus dragon
 * Subfamily: Benedraconinae, the Upper planar dragons
 * Genus: Vigilantia
 * Vigilantia gloriosa, the battle dragon
 * Vigilantia iustitia, the radiant dragon
 * Vigilantia candora, the adamantine dragon
 * Genus: Gaudete
 * Gaudete instinctivus, the beast dragon
 * Gaudete bachannus, the Elysian dragon
 * Genus: Nostre
 * Nostre libertatis, the arboreal dragon
 * Subfamily: Malodraconinae, the Lower planar dragons
 * Genus: Tyrannodraco
 * Tyrannodraco rubigo, the rust dragon
 * Tyrannodraco caligo, the gloom dragon
 * Tyrannodraco baatoro, the hellfire wyrm
 * Genus: Malodraco
 * Malodraco volcanicus, the pyroclastic dragon
 * Malodraco nilesia, the Tarterian dragon
 * Genus: Submalodraco
 * Submalodraco pentar, the chole dragon
 * Submalodraco lhar, the howling dragon
 * Subfamily: Concordraconinae
 * Genus: Xaodracos
 * Xaodracos karanos, the chaos dragon
 * Genus: Rimdraco
 * Rimdraco uranach, the concordant dragon
 * Genus: Rigidraco
 * Rigidraco sarinus, the axial dragon
 * Subfamily: Spectodraconinae
 * Genus: Spectus
 * Spectus ethertempus, the ethereal dragon
 * Subfamily: Fidelidraconinae
 * Genus: Fidelidraco
 * Fidelidraco astris, the astral dragon
 * Subfamily: Umbradraconinae
 * Genus: Umbradraco
 * Umbradraco furtivus, the shadow dragon
 * Umbradraco desiccatus, the blight dragon
 * Subfamily: Sylvadraconinae
 * Genus: Sylvadraco
 * Sylvadraco glamourie, the mirage dragon
 * Genus: Subdraco
 * Subdraco infelix, the wretch dragon
 * Family: Potendraconidae
 * Subfamily: Potendraconinae - the epic dragons
 * Genus: Potentata
 * Potentata prismata, the prismatic dragon
 * Potentata diamanta, the force dragon
 * Genus: Tempora
 * Tempora tempora, the time dragon
 * Subfamily: Arcanadracinae - the arcane dragons
 * Genus: Arcanadraco
 * Arcanadraco libro, the tome dragon
 * Genus: Malecarminus
 * Malecarminus vindicto, the hex dragon
 * Subfamily: Psidraconinae
 * Genus: Psidraco
 * Psidraco ectoplasma, the ectoplasmic dragon
 * Family: Phlogisdraconidae - the spelljamming dragons
 * Genus: Morphodraco
 * Morphodraco amauntori, the sun dragon
 * Morphodraco nuitari, the moon dragon
 * Genus: Gigadraco
 * Gigadraco asteris, the radiant dragon
 * Gigadraco royalis, the stellar dragon
 * Family: Rattelyridae
 * Genus: Rattelyrus
 * Rattelyrus rattelyr, the rattelyr dragon
 * Family: Drogasidae, the landragons
 * Genus: Drogas
 * Drogas amagia, the arack
 * Drogas radiatas, the scintillating landragon
 * Drogas retinosis, the night landragon
 * Family: Tempesdraconidae - the catastrophic dragons
 * Genus: Catastrophis
 * Catastrophis athuamis, the avalanche dragon
 * Catastrophis umborasis, the blizzard dragon
 * Catastrophis balcothis, the earthquake dragon
 * Catastrophis yancbinis, the tornado dragon
 * Catastrophis solkaris, the typhoon dragon
 * Catastrophis imixis, the wildfire dragon
 * Catastrophis vezzuvis, the volcanic dragon
 * Family: Incarnodraconidae
 * Genus: Incarnodraco
 * Incarnodraco fervorus, the incarnum dragon

Order: Pseudodracomorpha - the false dragons. Includes dragonets, wyverns, wyrms, and drakes.
 * Family: Microdraconidae - the dragonets
 * Subfamily: Dragonetinae - the "true" dragonets
 * Genus: Speleodragonet
 * Speleodragonet spelunkus, the mole dragonet
 * Speleodragonet geyseri, the geyser dragonet
 * Genus: Tridragonetus
 * Tridragonetus calimus, the draken
 * Genus: Dragonetus
 * Dragonetus spirus, the crow's-nest dragonet
 * Dragonetus tropicus, the pavilion dragonet
 * Dragonetus dragonetus, the faerie dragon
 * Dragonetus mischievus, the pseudodragon
 * Dragonetus pyrus, the firedrake
 * Subfamily: Microdrakinae - the familiar or "lesser" drakes
 * Genus: Microdrakus
 * Microdrakus crystallus, the crystal drake
 * Microdrakus tribulatus, the demon drake
 * Microdrakus variablus, the faerie drake
 * Microdrakus caecus, the shadow drake


 * Family: Pseudodraconidae
 * Subfamily: Macropseudodraconinae
 * Genus: Wyverus
 * Wyverus wyverus, the wyvern
 * Wyverus feramagus, the velroc
 * Genus: Ululatrixus
 * Ululatrixus ululatrix, the ululatrix
 * Genus: Subwyverus
 * Subwyverus parvavenen, the minidragon
 * Subfamily: Micropseudodraconinae
 * Tribe: Drakini
 * Genus: Drakus, a probable wastebasket-taxon for all winged drakes. Historically, the greater and familiar drakes, and some dragonets and elemental drakes, have been included in this genus.
 * Drakus leonus, the liondrake
 * Drakus vulturus, the vulture drake
 * Drakus tempus, the wardrake
 * Drakus nerathus, the warwing drake
 * Drakus temporalis, the temporal drake
 * Drakus huitzil, the huitzil
 * Drakus aggravatio, the portal drake
 * Drakus hestavari, the Hestavar racing drake
 * Genus: Subdrakus, a probable wastebasket-taxon for all wingless drakes. Historically, the felldrakes, and some dragonets and elemental drakes, have been included in this genus.
 * Subdrakus vishapi, the vishap
 * Subdrakus phynxi, the phynxkin
 * Subdrakus lithos, the stone drake
 * Subdrakus tenebris, the dark drakes (2-3 subspecies, the hellghost dark drake S. t. spiritus, the adderbrood dark drake S. t. aspis, and the rumored greater dark drake S. t. tenebris)
 * Subdrakus frigilepis, the coldscale drake
 * Genus: Psidrakus
 * Psidrakus dominatus, the mind drake
 * Genus: Vidrakus
 * Vidrakus divadus, the space drake
 * Genus: Saevadrakus
 * Saevadrakus furiosa, the rage drake
 * Saevadrakus insidia, the ambush drake
 * Genus: Bibliodrako
 * Bibliodrako scalamagdrius, the scalamagdrion
 * Genus: Sagmadrakus
 * Sagmadrakus gracialis, the dragonnel
 * Sagmadrakus timidus, the drakkensteed
 * Tribe: Obscurodracini
 * Genus: Obscurodraco
 * Obscurodraco cumulus, the storm drake or cloud dragon, formerly thought to be a true dragon on account of its large size.
 * Tribe: Kosjdarastrixini, the elemental drakes
 * Genus: Kosjdarastrixis - the elemental drakes. Note that the black firedrake has been proposed as the species K. insithryllaxis, but the continuance of this population as a species has been questioned.
 * Kosjdarastrixis thraeis, the air drake
 * Kosjdarastrixis ixenis, the fire drake
 * Kosjdarastrixis kosjaussiris, the ice drake
 * Kosjdarastrixis edarixenis, the magma drake
 * Kosjdarastrixis mrithixenis, the smoke drake
 * Genus: Vhiraustratis
 * Vhiraustratis edaris, the earth drake
 * Vhiraustratis ghenthesjingis, the ooze drake
 * Vhiraustratis hesjingis, the water drake
 * Tribe: Uxkerynini, the felldrakes
 * Genus: Uxkeryn
 * Uxkeryn terminus, the crested felldrake
 * Uxkeryn somnus, the hissing felldrake
 * Uxkeryn crimenus, the horned felldrake
 * Uxkeryn caecaus, the leaping felldrake
 * Uxkeryn subaes, the spitting felldrake
 * Uxkeryn ridus, the spiked felldrake
 * Uxkeryn cubile, the tri-horned felldrake
 * Tribe: Macrodrakini, the greater drakes
 * Genus: Macrodrakis - it has been suggested that this genus should be split into several, but the exact division is contentious, with only the silisthilis and rivilithis being consistently grouped together, although a clade of arsalon + barautha + vallochar is often proposed as well.
 * Macrodrakis arsalon, the arsalon
 * Macrodrakis barautha, the barautha
 * Macrodrakis ermalkankar, the ermalkankari
 * Macrodrakis kavainus, the kavainus
 * Macrodrakis mardallond, the mardallond
 * Macrodrakis retchen, the retchenbeast
 * Macrodrakis rivilithis, the rivilithis
 * Macrodrakis silisthilis, the silisthilis
 * Macrodrakis trilligarg, the trilligarg
 * Macrodrakis vallochar, the vallochar
 * Macrodrakis vandalraug, the vandalraug


 * Family: Olordurgarnidae - Note that the wurms, a reported similar group of dracoforms, may be synonymous (and are treated as such here).
 * Genus: Olordurgarna, the landwyrms
 * Olordurgarna thordena, the desert landwyrm (sand wurm)
 * Olordurgarna vudda, the forest landwyrm (forest wurm)
 * Olordurgarna tora, the hill landwyrm (hill wurm)
 * Olordurgarna vuddara, the jungle landwyrm
 * Olordurgarna morndina, the mountain landwyrm (mountain wurm)
 * Olordurgarna tyna, the plains landwyrm (grassland wurm)
 * Olordurgarna lurgha, the swamp landwyrm (swamp wurm)
 * Olordurgarna kurita, the tundra landwyrm (tundra wurm)
 * Olordurgarna cauraka, the underdark landwyrm (cave wurm)
 * Olordurgarna barthouna, the storm wurm
 * Olordurgarna arauglora, the sea wurm
 * Olordurgarna grohtllura, the lava wurm
 * Olordurgarna llura, the river wurm
 * Genus: Araudurgarna
 * Araudurgarna erkurita, the glacierdrak
 * Family: Maredraconidae
 * Genus: Maredranguis
 * Maredranguis armoris, the dragon eel
 * Maredranguis zakharis, the sea wyrm
 * Family: Dzalmidae
 * Genus: Dzalmaus
 * Dzalmaus dzalmus, the dzalmus
 * Dzalmaus gornychus, the gorynych
 * Family: Magidraconidae
 * Genus: Magia latro, the dweomervore
 * Family: Wyrmidae
 * Genus: Luxcaelo
 * Luxcaelo caecafulgor, the sunwyrm
 * Genus: Petrawyrm
 * Petrawyrm obscuro, the rock wyrm
 * Genus: Malowyrm
 * Malowyrm antimortem, the gravewyrm
 * Malowyrm fames, the deathmask dragon - this may be a fiend rather than a dracoform
 * Genus: Urbewyrm
 * Urbewyrm antiqua, the ruin wyrm

Order: Dracohemos - the dragonblooded (kobolds, dragonspawn, and dragonborn)
 * Family: Microdraconiformidae
 * Genus: Koboldia
 * Koboldia koboldia, the common kobold
 * Koboldia urdia, the urd
 * Genus: Dracohomo
 * Dracohomo arymalo, the dragonkin
 * Genus: Abeiria
 * Abeiria strixiki, the dragonborn
 * Family: Kalladrakidae
 * Genus: Kalladrakia
 * Kalladrakia amistella, the dracon
 * Kalladrakia drakkotha, the drakkoth or dracotaur
 * Family: Dinodraconiformidae - dragonspawn
 * Genus: Tiapyros
 * Tiapyros arcaniss, the redspawn arcaniss
 * Tiapyros perdere, the redspawn berserker
 * Tiapyros ardensfaucibus, the redspawn birther
 * Tiapyros ira, the redspawn devastator
 * Tiapyros ignisveru, the redspawn firebelcher
 * Genus: Tiacausticos, the blackspawn
 * Tiacausticos caligarach, the blackspawn stalker
 * Tiacausticos palusreus, the blackspawn raider
 * Tiacausticos palusmalos, the blackspawn corruptor
 * Genus: Tiafulgeros, the bluespawn
 * Tiafulgeros deuspolluam, the bluespawn godslayer
 * Tiafulgeros gravisunguem, the bluespawn burrower
 * Tiafulgeros geminotempestas, the bluespawn stormlizard
 * Tiafulgeros lapideos, the bluespawn stoneglider
 * Tiafulgeros harenapraesidio, the bluespawn ambusher
 * Genus: Tiavenenos, the greenspawn
 * Tiavenenos cornunovacula, the greenspawn razorfiend
 * Tiavenenos fanaticus, the greenspawn zealot
 * Tiavenenos silvafur, the greenspawn sneak
 * Tiavenenos arbordesultor, the greenspawn leaper
 * Genus: Tiacryos, the whitespawn
 * Tiacryos tribuladraco, the whitespawn iceskidder
 * Tiacryos glaciecriminum, the whitespawn hordeling
 * Tiacryos frigusfames, the whitespawn hunter
 * Genus: Tiadente
 * Tiadente retortaforma, the greyspawn fleshtearer
 * Genus: Tiabeiros, the Abeiran dragonspawn
 * Tiabeiros petramaxilla, the felljaw
 * Tiabeiros haraevor, the haraevor
 * Genus: Tiakleptos
 * Tiakleptos pudor, the purplespawn nightmare
 * Genus: Tiaharena
 * Tiaharena calorlophus, the brownspawn marauder

Order: Chelodracos - the dragon turtles
 * Family: Chelodracidae
 * Genus: Chelodraco
 * Chelodraco chelodraco, the dragon turtle
 * Chelodraco testudo, the dragon tortoise

Order: Linnormorpha - the linnorms
 * Family: Linnormae
 * Genus: Linnormia
 * Linnormia eldr, the flame linnorm
 * Linnormia íss, the frost linnorm
 * Linnormia fýri, the forest linnorm
 * Linnormia fjall, the land linnorm
 * Linnormia líkmeiða, the corpse tearer
 * Linnormia regn, the rain linnorm
 * Linnormia hegða, the gray linnorm
 * Linnormia flōi, the swamp linnorm
 * Genus: Tethyslinnormia
 * Tethyslinnormia haf, the sea linnorm
 * Genus: Dilinnormia
 * Dilinnormia tveirmunnr, the dread linnorm
 * Genus: Linnorumbros
 * Linnorumbros stygia, the Stygian linnorm

Side notes:
 * The greaters drakes, elemental drakes, and felldrakes all form monophyletic clades within themselves, but probably not with each other or even with other drakes. The word "drake", in fact, seems to be more of a catch-all term for anything small and draconic. For instance, the abyssal drake is actually a fiend.
 * The cobra dragon is, at this time, believed to be a false dragon: a reptile of perhaps serpentine affilition, rather than a dracoform. It is suspected that various other dragons and dragonkin are also "merely" large, dangerous reptiles (or in at least one case, an avian).
 * The hatori is also likely a false dragon: a reptile of thalattosuchian descent, adapted to swimming in sand rather than the sea.
 * The blazewyrm is a fire elemental that superficially resembles a dragon.
 * Chardalyn dragons and paper dragons are constructs with a draconic form.
 * The so-called needlefang drake, fang titan drake, scytheclaw drake, and bloodseeker drake are all misnamed theropod dinosaurs.