Description
The wild, an adult Komodo dragon usually weighs around 70 kilograms (150 lb), although captive specimens often weigh more. According to the Guinness Book of World Records,
an average adult male will weigh 79 to 91 kg (170 to 200 lb) and
measure 2.59 m (8.5 ft), while an average female will weigh 68 to 73 kg
(150 to 160 lb) and measure 2.29 m (7.5 ft).
The largest verified wild specimen was 3.13 metres (10 ft 3 in) long
and weighed 166 kilograms (370 lb), including undigested food.
The Komodo dragon has a tail as long as its body, as well as about 60
frequently replaced serrated teeth that can measure up to 2.5
centimetres (1 in) in length. Its saliva is frequently blood-tinged,
because its teeth are almost completely covered by gingival tissue that is naturally lacerated during feeding. This creates an ideal culture for the bacteria that live in its mouth. It also has a long, yellow, deeply forked tongue .
Senses
The Komodo dragon does not have an acute sense of hearing, despite its
visible earholes, and is only able to hear sounds between 400 and 2000 hertz. It is able to see as far away as 300 metres (980 ft), but because its retinas only contain cones,
it is thought to have poor night vision. The Komodo dragon is able to
see in color, but has poor visual discrimination of stationary objects.
The Komodo dragon uses its tongue to detect, taste, and smell stimuli, as with many other reptiles, with the vomeronasal sense using the Jacobson's organ, rather than using the nostrils. With the help of a favorable wind and its habit of swinging its head from side to side as it walks, Komodo dragons may be able to detect carrion from 4–9.5 kilometres (2.5–5.9 mi) away. It only has a few taste buds in the back of its throat. Its scales, some of which are reinforced with bone, have sensory plaques connected to nerves that facilitate its sense of touch. The scales around the ears, lips, chin, and soles of the feet may have three or more sensory plaques. The Komodo dragon was formerly thought to be deaf when a study reported no agitation in wild Komodo dragons in response to whispers, raised voices, or shouts. This was disputed when London Zoological Garden employee Joan Proctor trained a captive specimen to come out to feed at the sound of her voice, even when she could not be seen.
The Komodo dragon uses its tongue to detect, taste, and smell stimuli, as with many other reptiles, with the vomeronasal sense using the Jacobson's organ, rather than using the nostrils. With the help of a favorable wind and its habit of swinging its head from side to side as it walks, Komodo dragons may be able to detect carrion from 4–9.5 kilometres (2.5–5.9 mi) away. It only has a few taste buds in the back of its throat. Its scales, some of which are reinforced with bone, have sensory plaques connected to nerves that facilitate its sense of touch. The scales around the ears, lips, chin, and soles of the feet may have three or more sensory plaques. The Komodo dragon was formerly thought to be deaf when a study reported no agitation in wild Komodo dragons in response to whispers, raised voices, or shouts. This was disputed when London Zoological Garden employee Joan Proctor trained a captive specimen to come out to feed at the sound of her voice, even when she could not be seen.