Qual è l'antenato del drago di Komodo?

Qual è l'antenato del drago di Komodo?

Si ritiene che il drago di Komodo si sia differenziato dai suoi antenati australiani 4 milioni di anni fa. Tuttavia, recenti resti fossili ritrovati in Queensland suggeriscono che si sia evoluto in Australia, prima di diffondersi in Indonesia.

Come si chiama la lucertola grande?

Il varano gigante (Varanus giganteus Gray, 1845), noto anche con il suo nome aborigeno di Perentie, è il varano più grande dell'Australia, nonché la quarta specie di lucertola più grande del mondo, dopo il drago di Komodo, il varano coccodrillo e il varano fasciato.

What is the scientific name of the Komodo dragon?

• The Komodo dragon is also sometimes known as the Komodo monitor or the Komodo Island monitor in scientific literature, although this name is uncommon. To the natives of Komodo Island, it is referred to as ora, buaya darat ('land crocodile'), or biawak raksasa ('giant monitor').

How long does it take a Komodo dragon to kill its prey?

• Conservation Status. However, if it is able to bite its prey, bacteria and venom in its saliva will kill the prey within a few days. After the animal dies, which can take up to four days, the Komodo uses its powerful sense of smell to locate the body. A kill is often shared between many Komodo dragons.

How can you tell a Komodo dragon apart from another?

• 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 who. The Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard in the world.

Are there Komodo dragons on Padar island?

• No Komodo dragons have been seen on the island of Padar since the 1970s, the result of widespread poaching of deer, the reptile's primary source of prey. Komodo National Park, established in 1980, and strict anti-poaching laws have helped protect the dragons, although illegal activity still takes place.