Scientists Reveal Venomous Bite Of Komodo Dragon

redorbit.com/news/science ^ | 19 May 2009,

[JoeProBono]

Australian researchers have discovered what makes the Komodo dragon’s bite so deadly for its prey.

Scientists previously considered that the world’s largest lizard’s mouth held deadly bacteria that stopped its victims’ blood from clotting. Walter Auffenberg put that theory forward in 1981.

But lead researcher Bryan Fry used magnetic resonance imagery to show that the deadly lizard packs a venomous bite, as seen through its venom gland with ducts that lead to their teeth.

Fry used 3-D computer imaging to compare the Komodo’s bite with the bite of the Australian saltwater crocodile, which has a skull of comparable size. His team found that the Komodo’s bite is only one-sixth as powerful as that of the crocodile.

Imaging revealed that the Komodo used a pulling maneuver similar to the motion of the bite of a shark or saber cat.

The report, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also found that other venomous lizards, including the Gila monster, were part of the same family as Komodo dragons. Additionally, venomous lizards and snakes appear to have descended from common origins.

[JoeProBono]

[JoeProBono]

[dragonblustar]

[OneWingedShark]

Just another reason NOT to use the phrase “bite me”.

[WorkingClassFilth]

The first time some poor sod of a sailor set foot on that island and ran into those things must have been quite a thrill. Too bad they didn’t have 12 ga. slugs in those days.

[behzinlea]

Democrats on the march.

[JoeProBono]

[JoeProBono]

[autumnraine]

Komodo Dragons and Gila monsters scare the daylights out of me. Thank goodness we don’t have them here.

Although rattlesnakes have gotten out of control in Georgia. The young guy sitting next to me in class showed me his camera phone photo of the SEVEN FOOT RATTLER with 14 rattles he killed last night.

I really need to cut my grass! I’m going to have to watch it when I step off the porch now. And no river swimming this year, they have taken over the State Park we go to.

[JoeProBono]

[Daffynition]

[potlatch]

Sharon Stone’s husband, Phil Bronstein, could give you some input on Komodo’s. LOL

[JoeProBono]

[Oatka]

Reminds me of the old P. T. Barnum story. He had a display showing a lamb lying down with a lion. Someone asked him how he accomplished such a thing. He replied, “By frequent and judicious use of a lamb.”

[JoeProBono]

[JoeProBono]

[JoeProBono]

Here's mine. Show me yours

[grey_whiskers]

Details, please????

[Daffynition]

Yummmmmmmmmmmm..............c-h-i-l-d-r-e-n..........

[Boiling Pots]

But the Scientific Consensus said it was the bacteria that caused death.

This science is settled, and not up for debate.