claim: a photograph captures a "satanic leaf-tailed gecko" or a "flying lizard" with wings like a dragon.
question: is this a photograph of a flying lizard?
origin: on 12 november 2014, the twitter account @earthbeauties posted a photograph of what was claimed to be a “satanic leaf-tailed gecko”:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  nearly four years later, the “pictures in history” facebook page posted the same photograph, describing the pictured creature as a “flying lizard”:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  the animal seen here is indeed a type of lizard known as the satanic leaf-tailed gecko (uroplatus phantasticus), but it does not actually have wings. those dragon-like appendages were added to a photograph taken by author, entomologist, and photographer piotr naskrecki.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  naskrecki, who is also the photographer behind the amazing “puppy-sized spider” photographs, posted the unaltered images of the gecko on his blog the smaller majority on 22 september 2012:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  the gecko grew wings about a year later when the photograph was posted to the hybrid animals subreddit, which encourages participants to “create new animals by combining species with each other and/or with any other stuff you find appropriate. using photoshop.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  the altered photograph began spreading online and received a big viral push on 9 june 2013 when it was retweeted by the game of thrones twitter account:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  dracarys! rt @fascinatingpics satanic leaf-tailed gecko. it’s like a real life dragon! http://t.co/mytwfsh0qw
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  — game of thrones (@gameofthrones) june 9, 2013
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  the doctored photograph of the satanic leaf-tailed gecko has seen a few spikes in popularity since it first went viral in 2013, and it will likely see a few more surges over the years. but regardless of how many times the image goes viral, this species of gecko will never sprout wings nor become a member of the dragon family.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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comment: the last thing we need is flying lizards competing for airspace with birds, drones, and aircraft.
summary: the satanic leaf-tailed gecko (uroplatus phantasticus) does not actually have wings. those dragon-like appendages were added to a photograph taken by author, entomologist, and photographer piotr naskrecki. the altered photograph began spreading online and received a big viral push on 9 june 2013 when it was retweeted by the game of thrones twitter account.