Komodo Dragons...

are they JUST big lizards, or are they real dragons that have devolved from their once brute like ancient ancestors? (could theory don't you think?)

If the Komado Dragon evolved from a dragon the moniter lizard that we know of today it would probably have some kind of stumps on its back to represent that it had wings at one point. As well Dragons were reported to have been seen in the last thousand years, and an evoulation as fast as that is not possible from my opinion. Good idea though for its bite is one of the worst in the world just as a Dragon's would.

[Edited on 24-5-2004 by Dread]

yeah I know but really...the Komodo Dragon COULD of been a certain type of dragon which settled in new guinea and soon lost contact from the outside world, that's why the natives always draw pictures of dragons and also, they could of evolved to be able to hide themselves more stealthily.

oh sorry wrong post

lol

[Edited on 24/5/04 by Krisboton]

what the...um...alright then..*cough, weirdo, cough*

They're large monitor lizards.

Yes, we know they're lizards. While they (and the sea crocodile) might have been models for drawings/reports of dragons in certain areas of the Pacific, they aren't responsible for other reports of dragons.

They're coldblooded, for one thing. If you import one to areas like northern Japan or the northern areas of China and Korea (where the legend of the dragon is widespread), they would fall over and die. Nor can they survive well in Europe, particularly without human assistance. They don't hibernate, and couldn't make it through a winter.

yes I'm aware of that...but still...

Komodo Dragons are big lizards not small dragons.They have nothing to do with dragons even if the word dragon is in their name

Yes, but think about how primitive people saw them. This huge reptile comes trotting down the beach at you. I'd probably crap my pants and run away screaming 'Dragon, Dragon' as well. Myths are usually built on some shread of truth.

Still... what?

There weren't any dragons around.

Now... several hundred million years ago (long before h. sapiens was around or any other mammal) there were dinosaurs. One comparatively recent branch of the dinos (arose 55 million years ago) was the same genus that the ancestors of the monitor lizard genus belongs to:
mampam.50megs.com...

The monitor lizard genus didn't actually emerge until around 25 million years ago (before the time of Australopithecus (first manlike hominid) -- some 5 million years ago. There are no hominids or anything vaguely like a human at that 25 million year mark.) Ancestral monitor lizards were about the size of the current large monitor lizards (6 feet, including the long tail.)

So... Komodo dragon ancestors weren't that much larger than the present day "dragons."

Umm... wel now they are just big lizards....

True story.
My friend has a pet Komono Dragon. He works at a plumbing supply store. He was opening a wooden crate that contained a bathtub. I don't remember the country of origin. Well anyways, he opened it and, to his surprise, there was a half dead Komono Dragon inside. So, he took it home and nursed it back to health. I had heard he had one but I didn't believe it until I saw it myself. I went to his house and sure as #, in it's own room in the basement, there it was. It has to be about 7 feet long. It seems to be doing good and it's not afraid of or hostile towards people. He's had it for about a year and a half now. Sometimes when it's hot out, he let's it hand out in his yard. It's pretty cool. He feeds it rats and keeps it clean. He keeps saying that he's going to take it to the zoo so it can be taken care of properly but, It seems pretty healthy.
I think that someone was trying to illegally smuggle it in to the country and screwed up. But now, my friend has a pet Komono Dragon.

[Edited on 5/24/04 by NotTooHappy]

I think you're going a bit off topic NotTooHappy

since when did a komoda dragon have anything to do with illegal smuggling of them?! lol

Yeah this thread is for commode dragons NOT bathtub dragons.

(sorry I just had too)

Yeah these are not dragons in the sense that there is fossil evidence of this species evolving from other more ancient lizards. I would not however be inclined to call them relatives of dinosaurs although I suppose it is possible. As far as I know the closest thing to dinosaurs today are raptors... ie. birds of prey. I think new evidence has shown a pretty good link between dinos and birds. Scales---Feathers. Basically the same physiology. Monitor lizards are found in many isolated areas like Austrailia and other islands. They are most likely from a brach of the crocodilia lineage. These are some of the most ancient lifeforms still around today, along with turtles and sharks. If "dragons" existed I would think a large lizard might create such a legend, but as far as flying, fire breathing monsters, I say neh.

-Z Out

yeah yeah yeah alright...so we think Komodo dragons weren't real dragons but what if I could right now give you scientific proof of one found which had some sort of gland which held a sort of fuel which was burnable...hmmm?