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The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large reptile of the monitor lizard family Varanidae that is endemic to the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang.
6 days ago · dragon, in the mythologies, legends, and folktales of various cultures, a large lizard- or serpent-like creature, conceived in some traditions as evil and in others as beneficent. In medieval Europe, dragons were usually depicted with wings and a barbed tail and as breathing fire.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- The term dragon has no zoological meaning, but it is used in the Latin generic name Draco for several small lizard species found in the Indo-Malaya...
- The English word dragon comes from the Greek word drakōn, which was used originally for any large serpent, and the dragon of mythology, whatever sh...
- In Asian cultures, the dragon managed to retain its prestige and is known as a beneficent creature. The Chinese dragon, the lung, represents yang,...
- A dragon is usually represented as a huge, bat-winged, fire-breathing, scaly lizard or snake with a barbed tail. The belief in these creatures appa...
- Morphology
- Description
- Geographic range
- Habitat
- Diet
- Behavior
- Toxicity
- Breeding
- Physical characteristics
Although males tend to grow larger and bulkier than females, no obvious morphological differences mark the sexes. One subtle clue does exist: a slight difference in the arrangement of scales just in front of the cloaca. Sexing Komodos remains a challenge for human researchers; the dragons themselves appear to have little trouble figuring out who is...
The Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard in the world. These wild dragons typically weigh about 154 pounds (70 kilograms), but the largest verified specimen reached a length of 10.3 feet (3.13 meters) and weighed 366 pounds (166 kilograms). Males tend to grow larger and bulkier than females.
Komodo dragons are limited to a few Indonesian islands of the Lesser Sunda group, including Rintja, Padar and Flores, and of course the island of Komodo, the largest at 22 miles (35 kilometers) long. They have not been seen on the island of Padar since the 1970s.
They live in tropical savanna forests but range widely over the islands, from beach to ridge top. Komodo dragons live about 30 years in the wild, but scientists are still studying this.
Komodo dragons eat almost any kind of meat, scavenging for carcasses or stalking animals that range in size from small rodents to large water buffalo. Young feed primarily on small lizards and insects, as well as snakes and birds. If they live to be 5 years old, they move onto larger prey, such as rodents, monkeys, goats, wild boars and deer (the m...
Although the Komodo dragon can briefly reach speeds of 10 to 13 mph (16 to 20 kph), its hunting strategy is based on stealth and power. It can spend hours in one spot along a game trail waiting for a deer or other sizable and nutritious prey to cross its path before launching an attack. Because large Komodos cannibalize young ones, the young ofte...
This lizard's large, curved and serrated teeth are its deadliest weapon, tearing flesh with efficiency. The tooth serrations hold bits of meat from its most recent meal, and this protein-rich residue supports large numbers of bacteria. Some 50 different bacterial strains, at least seven of which are highly septic, have been found in the saliva. Res...
Females lay about 30 eggs in depressions dug on hill slopes or within the pilfered nests of megapodes large, chicken-like birds that make nests of heaped earth mixed with twigs that may be as long as 3 feet (1 meter) in height and 10 feet (3 meters) across. Delays in egg laying may occur, which could help the clutch avoid the brutally hot months o...
The hatchlings weigh less than 3.5 ounces (100 grams) and average 16 inches (40 centimeters) in length. Their early years are precarious, and they often fall victim to predators, including other Komodo dragons. At 5 years old, they weigh about 55 pounds (25 kilograms) and average 6.5 feet (2 meters) long. At this time, they begin to hunt larger pre...
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Sep 16, 2021 · The Komodo dragon is the world's largest living lizard, but these colossal creatures are under threat. They have been added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's...
Oct 22, 2024 · Komodo dragon, (Varanus komodoensis), largest extant lizard species. The dragon is a monitor lizard of the family Varanidae. It occurs on Komodo Island and a few neighbouring islands of the Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
A dragon is a magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in Western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as winged, horned, and capable of breathing fire.
About bearded dragons. The bearded dragon lives up to its name: Like a dragon, it’s equipped with armor of spiny reptilian scales, which include a “beard” of spikes under its chin that puffs...
