Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) are the largest living predatory lizards and their serrated, curved and blade-shaped teeth make them valuable analogues for studying tooth structure, function and comparing with extinct species, such as theropod dinosaurs. Their teeth possess only a thin coating of enamel that is nevertheless able to cope with the demands of their puncture-pull feeding. New research reveals that Komodo dragon teeth possess a unique adaptation for maintaining their cutting edges: orange, iron-enriched coatings on their tooth serrations and tips.
Pigmented cutting edges in Komodo dragon teeth. Image credit: LeBlanc et al., doi: 10.1038/s41559-024-02477-7.
Native to Indonesia, Komodo dragons are the largest living species of monitor lizard.
These creatures can grow to 3 m (10 feet) in length and run up to 20 kmh (12 mph).
They have sharp, curved teeth similar to many carnivorous theropod dinosaurs.
They eat almost any kind of meat, from smaller reptiles and birds to deer, horses or water buffalo, pulling and tearing at their prey to rip flesh apart.
“As the world’s largest lizards, Komodo dragons are inarguably impressive animals,” said Dr. Benjamin Tapley, curator of reptiles and amphibians at Zoological Society of London.
“Having worked with them for 12 years at London Zoo, I continue to be fascinated by them and these findings further emphasize just how incredible they are.”
“Komodo dragons are sadly endangered, so in addition to strengthening our understanding of how iconic dinosaurs might have lived, this discovery also helps us build a deeper understanding of these amazing reptiles as we work to protect them.”
To understand the chemical and structural make-up of Komodo dragon’s teeth, Dr. Tapley, King’s College London researcher Aaron LeBlanc and their colleagues scoured museums for skulls and teeth of Komodo dragons.
They also studied the teeth of Ganas, the 15-year-old Komodo dragon who had lived at London Zoo.
Through advanced imaging and chemical analysis, they were able to observe that the iron in Komodo dragons’ enamel is concentrated into a thin coating on top of their tooth serrations and tips.
This protective layer keeps the serrated edges of their teeth sharp and ready to be used at a moment’s notice.
“Komodo dragons have curved, serrated teeth to rip and tear their prey just like those of meat-eating dinosaurs,” Dr. LeBlanc said.
“We want to use this similarity to learn more about how carnivorous dinosaurs might have ate and if they used iron in their teeth the same way as the Komodo dragon.”
“Unfortunately, using the technology we have at the moment, we can’t see whether fossilized dinosaur teeth had high levels of iron or not.”
“We think that the chemical changes which take place during the fossilization process obscure how much iron was present to start with.”
“What we did find, though, was that larger meat-eating dinosaurs, like tyrannosaurs, did change the structure of the enamel itself on the cutting edges of their teeth.”
“So, while Komodo dragons have altered the chemistry of their teeth, some dinosaurs altered the structure of their dental enamel to maintain a sharp cutting edge.”
“With further analysis of the Komodo teeth we may be able to find other markers in the iron coating that aren’t changed during fossilization.”
“With markers like that we would know with certainty whether dinosaurs also had iron-coated teeth and have a greater understanding of these ferocious predators.”
The findings appear in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution.
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A.R.H. LeBlanc et al. Iron-coated Komodo dragon teeth and the complex dental enamel of carnivorous reptiles. Nat Ecol Evol, published online July 24, 2024; doi: 10.1038/s41559-024-02477-7
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