Table of Contents
Are Komodo dragons cold or warm blooded?
Komodo Dragons are reptiles. This means that they are covered in dry, scaly skin, hatch from eggs, and are cold-blooded. Cold-blooded means that they lizards cannot regulate their internal temperature, and must instead depend on their climate to determine how hot or cold they are.
How do Komodo dragons regulate their body temperature?
Very big lizards like the Komodo dragon have so much mass that their bodies trap a lot of heat, allowing them to maintain a fairly consistent body temperature, almost like a mammal, Conrad said. Their bodies cool down and heat up when the air around them changes temperature even slightly.
What is a Komodo dragon classified as?
monitor lizard
Komodo dragon, (Varanus komodoensis), largest extant lizard species. The dragon is a monitor lizard of the family Varanidae.
Are all lizards ectothermic?
Lizards are ectotherms and use behavioral adaptations to control their temperature. They regulate their behavior based on the temperature outside; if it is warm they will go outside up to a point and return to their burrow as necessary.
Why do Komodo dragons have tails?
A Komodo’s tail is as long as its body and is very strong. They will use their tails as a weapon to protect themselves, but also to catch prey. The tail of the Komodo is so strong it can knock down large wild boars and deers!
How do Komodo dragons maintain homeostasis?
The bacteria in the Komodo dragon’s mouth form multi-specie colonies on the surface of its teeth via fimbrial adherence (pili) as a means of maintaining homeostasis and resisting phagocytic and antimicrobial elements, pH changes, and fluctuations in temperature.
Are Komodo dragons unicellular or multicellular?
The komodo dragon is classified under the domain of Eukarya because it is an eukaryotic organism. Eukaryotes do not possess a cell wall and have mitochondria within their cells. The komodo dragon is classified under the kingdom of Animalia because it is multi-cellular and heterotrophic.
Is Komodo dragon amphibious?
No, a Komodo dragon is not an amphibian. Komodo dragons are the world’s largest species of lizards, meaning they are reptiles.
Why is the Komodo dragon genome so important?
The Komodo dragon genome is an important resource for understanding the biology of monitor lizards and reptiles worldwide. The evolution of form and function in non-avian reptiles contains numerous examples of innovation and diversity.
How big does a Komodo dragon get to be?
The largest of the varanid lizards, the Komodo dragon Varanus komodoensis, can grow to 3 m in length and run up to 20 km h −1, allowing them to hunt large prey including deer and boar 4.
What makes monitor lizards unique among ectothermic reptiles?
Monitor lizards are unique among ectothermic reptiles in that they have high aerobic capacity and distinctive cardiovascular physiology resembling that of endothermic mammals.