Editing Komodo dragon (section)

==Morphology==
[[File:Fig 4. Tooth crown serrations of Varanus taxa.png|thumb|227x227px|Teeth. Komodo dragon (A-C), [[Varanus salvadorii|crocodile monitor]] (D-F), [[Asian water monitor]] (G-I). ]]

===Dentition===
Komodo dragons have ziphodont teeth, which are defined as teeth that are laterally flattened, recurved, and with serrated tooth crowns where the serrations have a [[Dentin|dentine]] core and a very thin [[Tooth enamel|enamel]] outer layer. This is the same type of dentition observed in many extinct [[Theropoda|theropod]] dinosaurs.<ref>D’Amore, D. C., Moreno, K., McHenry, C. R., & Wroe, S. (2011). The effects of biting and pulling on the forces generated during feeding in the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis). PloS One, 6(10), e26226–e26226. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0026226</ref><ref name=":0" /> The teeth of the [[Insectivore|insectivorous]] juveniles in contrast are barely recurved, with fewer and less well-developed serrations that lack dentine cores.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last1=Maho |first1=Tea |last2=Reisz |first2=Robert R. |date=2024-02-07 |title=Exceptionally rapid tooth development and ontogenetic changes in the feeding apparatus of the Komodo dragon |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=19 |issue=2 |pages=e0295002 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0295002 |doi-access=free |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=10849390 |pmid=38324523|bibcode=2024PLoSO..1995002M }}</ref>
[[File:Dent de varan de Komodo.jpg|left|thumb|254x254px|Teeth. Note the orange, iron-enriched enamel serrations.]]
A 2024 study published in ''[[Nature Ecology and Evolution|Nature Ecology & Evolution]]'' found that Komodo dragons have orange, [[iron]]-enriched coatings on their tooth serrations and tips, as an adaptation for maintaining the sharp cutting edges. This feature is also observed to a lesser degree in a few other [[Australasia|Australasian]] to Asian monitor species, though notably absent in a few other species from that range.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=LeBlanc |first1=Aaron R. H. |last2=Morrell |first2=Alexander P. |last3=Sirovica |first3=Slobodan |last4=Al-Jawad |first4=Maisoon |last5=Labonte |first5=David |last6=D’Amore |first6=Domenic C. |last7=Clemente |first7=Christofer |last8=Wang |first8=Siyang |last9=Giuliani |first9=Finn |last10=McGilvery |first10=Catriona M. |last11=Pittman |first11=Michael |last12=Kaye |first12=Thomas G. |last13=Stevenson |first13=Colin |last14=Capon |first14=Joe |last15=Tapley |first15=Benjamin |date=2024-07-24 |title=Iron-coated Komodo dragon teeth and the complex dental enamel of carnivorous reptiles |journal=Nature Ecology & Evolution |volume=8 |issue=9 |language=en |pages=1711–1722 |doi=10.1038/s41559-024-02477-7 |issn=2397-334X|doi-access=free |pmid=39048730 |pmc=11383799 |bibcode=2024NatEE...8.1711L }}</ref>

Teeth are quickly replaced every 40 days, while maintaining up to 5 replacement teeth for each tooth position at any given time. This high rate of replacement and large number of replacement teeth is similar to that of the [[Varanus salvadorii|crocodile monitor]]. Many other monitor species as well as [[Chinese crocodile lizard|Chinese crocodile lizards]] and [[Heloderma|beaded lizards]] only have 1-2 replacement teeth behind each tooth position.<ref name=":1" />

===Senses===
[[File:Komodo dragons video.ogv|thumbtime=0:02|Komodo dragon using its tongue to sample the air|thumb|left]]
As with other varanids, Komodo dragons have only a single ear bone, the [[stapes]], for transferring vibrations from the [[tympanic membrane]] to the [[cochlea]]. This arrangement means they are likely restricted to sounds in the 400 to 2,000 [[hertz]] range, compared to humans who hear between 20 and 20,000 hertz.<ref name="sciam"/><ref name="bbc">{{cite web |publisher=BBC |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/features/336feature1.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061116030327/http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/features/336feature1.shtml |archive-date=16 November 2006 |title=Komodo Conundrum |access-date=25 November 2007}}</ref> They were 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 Zoo]] employee Joan Procter trained a captive specimen to come out to feed at the sound of her voice, even when she could not be seen.<ref name="liz">{{cite book |last=Badger |first=David |title=Lizards: A Natural History of Some Uncommon Creatures, Extraordinary Chameleons, Iguanas, Geckos, and More |publisher=Voyageur Press |location=Stillwater, MN |year=2002 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/lizards00davi/page/32 32, 52, 78, 81, 84, 140–145, 151] |isbn=978-0-89658-520-1 |url=https://archive.org/details/lizards00davi/page/32 }}</ref>{{rp|52}}

The Komodo dragon can see objects as far away as {{cvt|300|m|ft}}, but because its retinas only contain [[cone cells|cones]], it is thought to have poor night vision. It can distinguish colours, but has poor visual discrimination of stationary objects.<ref name="nzpfactsheet">{{cite web|publisher=[[National Zoological Park (United States)|National Zoological Park]] |url=http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ReptilesAmphibians/Facts/FactSheets/Komododragon.cfm |title=Komodo Dragon Fact Sheet |access-date=25 November 2007|date=25 April 2016 }}</ref>

As with many other reptiles, the Komodo dragon primarily relies on its tongue to detect, [[taste]], and [[Odor|smell]] [[Stimulus (physiology)|stimuli]], with the [[vomeronasal]] sense using the [[Jacobson's organ]], rather than using the nostrils.<ref name="docent">{{cite web |publisher=[[Singapore Zoological Gardens]] |url=http://szgdocent.org/resource/rr/c-komodo.htm |title= Komodo Dragon|access-date=21 December 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050214110617/http://szgdocent.org/resource/rr/c-komodo.htm |archive-date=14 February 2005 }}</ref> With the help of a favorable wind and its habit of swinging its head from side to side as it walks, a Komodo dragon may be able to detect carrion from {{cvt|4|–|9.5|km}} away.<ref name="nzpfactsheet"/> Their tongue-flicking behavior is similar to that of snakes.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Maho |first1=Tea |last2=Reisz |first2=Robert R. |title=Exceptionally rapid tooth development and ontogenetic changes in the feeding apparatus of the Komodo dragon |journal=PLoS ONE |date=February 7, 2024 |volume=19}}</ref> It only has a few [[taste bud]]s in the back of its throat.<ref name="docent"/> Its scales, some of which are reinforced with bone, have [[sensory plaque]]s connected to nerves to facilitate its sense of touch. The scales around the ears, lips, chin, and soles of the feet may have three or more sensory plaques.<ref name="location"/>
{{clear}}