Enter the Dragon ! The Komodo Dragon ( Varanus komodoensis ).
Enter the Dragon ! The Komodo Dragon ( Varanus komodoensis ).
Michael Cermak is off on another intrepid adventure to a land of giants ....
M any lizards , particularly in the family Agamidae , are commonly referred to as ‘ dragons ’ because a variety of morphological characteristics , such as claws , crests , long tails and a spiky appearance , together with real attitude that often results in threatening postures , combine to be reminiscent of the mythical creatures that feature in folklore from cultures around the globe . Komodo Dragons are endowed not only with ferocious looks , but also impressive size – they are simply enormous ! An adult male can grow to over three metres in length and top the scales at an astonishing 70 kilograms , making the first description of the species in 1912 , a ‘ Varanus species of an unusual size ’, an understatement of similarly epic proportions ! There is one other superficial resemblance between Komodo Dragons and the dragons of legend that are often portrayed spitting flames and puffing smoke .
Komodo Dragons are not in the habit of breathing fire , but they do have blood-red saliva that oozes from their mouths when they feed – an awesome sight !
Of course , far from being a real dragon , Varanus komodoensis is not even an agamid – it is a monitor lizard belonging to the family Varanidae – although interestingly the generic name Varanus is itself derived from an Arabic word meaning ‘ dragon ’. Varanids probably arose in Africa or Eurasia and spread from Southeast Asia into Australia , where significant adaptive radiation occurred . Monitor lizards are distinguished by having a forked tongue , like snakes . They are the most intelligent of lizards , and experiments based on varying the numbers of prey items have demonstrated an ability to count up to six . Most are carnivorous and wideranging , active hunters . This is aided by a high aerobic