This species was originally described in 1885 by the
Belgian-British zoologist
George Albert Boulenger, who named it
Draco guentheri. This species is also notable for having been collected by the
Philippine national hero
Jose Rizal during his exile in
Dapitan, Mindanao in 1893. Rizal identified it as a new species of lizard which he tentatively named,
Draco dapitani. Rizal sent specimens to Europe, to the German zoologist
Benno Wandolleck. In 1900 Wandolleck, thinking Rizal's specimens represented a new species, described it and named it
Draco rizali, thereby creating another synonym. Rizal's specimens, subsequently, were destroyed during the
bombing of Dresden in World War II. In 1936 German zoologist
Willi Hennig considered this lizard to be part of what he called a
subspecies,
Draco volans reticulatus. In 1993 German herpetologist
Maren Gaulke raised it to full species status as
Draco reticulatus. And most recently, in 2000, American herpetologist
Jimmy McGuire and Filipino herpetologist
Angel Alcala once again recognized Boulenger's original
Draco guentheri as a valid species. ==References==