NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Komodo Dragon
Varanus komodoensis Ouwens, 1912
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large reptile of the monitor lizard family Varanidae that is endemic to the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Dasami, and Gili Motang. The largest extant population lives within the Komodo National Park in Eastern Indonesia. It is the largest extant species of lizard, with the males growing to a maximum length of 3 m (10 ft) and weighing up to 150 kg (330 lb). As a result of their size, which is exceptional among reptiles, Komodo dragons are apex predators, dominating the ecosystems in which they live. Komodo dragons hunt and ambush prey; juveniles take small prey like invertebrates or birds, and adults favour larger mammals, occasionally even attacking humans. The diet of adult Komodo dragons mainly consists of Javan rusa and feral pigs, though they also eat considerable amounts of carrion. Young Komodo dragons are vulnerable and dwell in trees to avoid predators, including cannibalistic adults, which young Komodo dragons also try to repel by rolling in feces.
Wikipedia contributors, Komodo dragon; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T03:31:51.900247+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Varanus komodoensis Ouwens, 1912
- Name authority
- Ouwens, 1912
- Common name
- Komodo Dragon
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Squamata
- Family
- Varanidae
- Genus
- Varanus
- Extinction status
- Not supplied by this source
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classReptilia Laurenti, 1768
- orderSquamata Oppel, 1811
- suborderAutarchoglossa
- familyVaranidae
- genusVaranus
- speciesVaranus komodoensis Ouwens, 1912
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Varanus. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Solomon Island Spiny MonitorVaranus spinulosus Mertens, 1941 | VaranidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Kimberley Rock MonitorVaranus glauerti Mertens, 1957 | VaranidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Varanus finschi Böhme, Horn & Ziegler, 1994 | VaranidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Southern Pilbara Rock GoannaVaranus hamersleyensis Maryan, Oliver, Fitch & O'Connell, 2014 | VaranidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Mitchell's Water MonitorVaranus mitchelli Mertens, 1958 | VaranidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Varanus mabitang Gaulke & Curio, 2001 | VaranidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Varanus nuchalis (Günther, 1872) | VaranidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Nesterov’s desert monitorVaranus nesterovi Böhme, Ehrlich, Milto, Orlov & Scholz, 2015 | VaranidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Banggai Island monitorVaranus melinus Böhme & Ziegler, 1997 | VaranidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Blue Tree MonitorVaranus macraei Böhme & Jacobs, 2001 | VaranidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Varanus zugorum Böhme & Ziegler, 2005 | VaranidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Yellow-spotted MonitorVaranus panoptes Storr, 1980 | VaranidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Varanus&species=komodoensis Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:7FFW5. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.