These lizards are capable of gliding flight via membranes that may be extended to create wings (patagia), formed by an enlarged set of ribs.

[2] They are found across Southeast Asia and Southern India and are fairly common in forests, areca gardens, teak plantations and shrub jungle.

[6] The lizards are well known for their "display structures" and ability to glide long distances using their wing-like, patagial membranes supported by elongated thoracic ribs to generate lift forces.

[7] The hindlimbs in cross section form a streamlined and contoured airfoil, and are also probably involved in generating lift.

[8] The shape of the gliding membrane does not correlate with body size, meaning the larger species have proportionately less lift-generating surface area and consequently higher wing loading.

Experimental studies have determined that suitable unoccupied territories were claimed within a few hours of the removal of a dominant male.

The patagium is used as a display structure during courtship and territorial disputes between rival males, alongside the opening of a brightly-colored dewlap that contrasts with their camouflaged body scalation.

Several other lineages of reptile known from the fossil record have convergently evolved similar gliding mechanisms consisting of a patagium or plate flanking the torso; the weigeltisaurids are the oldest of these, living in the Late Permian from around 258 to 252 million years ago.