Firefly Dragon

* Juvenile
* Baby
* Egg

*The magical glow from their tails can be seen in the skies for miles around. They look like stars at night. Their insect-like shape tends to scare people away, but I think they're kind of cute!*
    —Nogard's description of the **firefly dragon** in The Book of Dragons
The **Firefly Dragon** is a hybrid dragon of the Fire and Lightning elements. It's main element is Lightning.

## Appearance

The firefly dragon has a straight body structure, holding most of its body close to the ground. Unlike most dragons, it has arthropod ancestry and is technically an invertebrate- most of its body is coated in a tough exoskeleton, which is dark red with a bright yellow underbelly. Its head is spiked and has a sharp beak, with very large eyes positioned near the top of its head, and two long antennae extend upward from just above its nostrils. Its wings are very large and, while they are structured similarly to a water dragon's fins, the membrane between them is a thin, translucent greenish substance reminiscent of insect wings. This is easily torn and does not heal very quickly, so it is not uncommon for older firefly dragons to have holes in their wings. Each wing finger is also tipped with a small, bioluminescent yellow-green bauble. Most notable is the dragon's long, spiny tail, which is tipped with a large yellow-green bauble, which is heavily luminescent and used for communication among other members of its species. When not directly communicating, the bauble blinks periodically, usually every few seconds or so.

## Subvariants

### Common Firefly Dragon

This is the breed kept in parks. It has a bronze-reddish color with a light green color on its wings and lamp. Found more commonly in Ronstreet.

### Beetle Firefly Dragon

This variant has some plumage-like scales on its forehead and is physically much stronger, but has a dimmer light. The lamp is smaller in comparison to the rest of the body. This variant is more common in Adnalanda.

### Photurical Firefly Dragon

This variant has bigger wings in such a shape that they can cover the entire body. This variant can also use its eyes as small lamps and is sometimes used by the police as flashlight. This variant is found in Aeolia.

### Ghost Firefly Dragon

This variant is pitch-black with a dark blue glow from its tail. They live in large groups in the Drag Marshes and are sometimes mistaken for wandering souls. They haven't been found anywhere else.

## Abilities

### Defenses

A firefly dragon has tough armor covering its body and spines along its tail that help protect it.

### Other Abilities

The firefly dragon is bioluminescent and uses its glowing wings and tail for signaling other firefly dragons. Its long sensory whiskers/antennae are used for feeling and tasting.

## Habitat

### Regions

The firefly dragon is widely found in a lot of places. It is found on every continent except for The Far South. It is especially abundant near Verulos and Bocartes.

### Preferred Home

Firefly dragons like humid places, but can be found in forested areas too. They can also live in dry places with erudine crystals, like the plains of the Verulean Highlands.

### Sheltering/Nesting

Firefly dragons typically sleep perched high in trees or on elevated cliffs and erudine formations.

## Diet

Firefly dragons use their light to attract moths and other insects, which they then snap up in their beaks. They can also use their long tongues to poke into logs and anthills to catch prey.

## Lifestyle

### Behavior and Personality

Firefly dragons are much less fierce than their relative, the scorch dragon. They are shy creatures, but like to show off their light at night.

### Relationship to Wizards

Firefly dragons generally avoid wizards during the day, but at night, they like to show off a lamp show with their entire group. DDLA has ranked them as 2.

## Life Cycle

### Mating

Male firefly dragons make light shows with their bioluminescence to impress female firefly dragons.

## History

### Origin of Name

These dragons are named after their similarities to fireflies.

## References

* The Book of Dragons, The Great Nogard

**Primary**
*Fire Dragon*

**Hybrids**
*Poison Dragon* - *Flower Dragon* - *Lava Dragon* - *Obsidian Dragon* - *Blue Fire Dragon* - *Frostfire Dragon* - *Scorch Dragon* - ***Firefly Dragon*** - *Salamander Dragon* - *Coral Dragon* - *Smoke Dragon* - *Blazing Dragon* - *Forge Dragon* - *Brass Dragon* - *Ember Dragon* - *Heat Dragon* - *Dungeon Dragon* - *Watch Dragon*

 **Golden Hybrids**
*Pepper Dragon* - *Soot Dragon* - *Inferno Dragon* - *Smolder Dragon* - *Molten Dragon* - *Sulfur Dragon*

**Primary**
*Lightning Dragon*

**Hybrids**
*Cactus Dragon* - *Ash Dragon* - ***Firefly Dragon*** - *Scorch Dragon* - *Quake Dragon* - *Crystal Dragon* - *Storm Dragon* - *Hail Dragon* - *Plasma Dragon* - *Current Dragon* - *Sonic Dragon* - *Thunder Dragon* - *Magnetic Dragon* - *Copper Dragon* - *Flash Dragon* - *Gamma Dragon* - *Spark Dragon* - *Wraith Dragon*

 **Golden Hybrids**
*Ivy Dragon* - *Thistle Dragon* - *Tempest Dragon* - *Lodestone Dragon* - *Wisp Dragon* - *Darkling Dragon*