write about Komodo dragon disease
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Komodo Dragon – What is it?
The Komodo dragon takes the cake as the largest living species of lizard, and though it doesn’t breathe fire, it can grow to an average of 2 to 3 meters, generally weighing 70 kg. In terms the average American layman can understand, they can grow up to 6.5 to 10 feet and weigh about 154 lb [1]. These giant lizards inhabit the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang, and Gili Dasami, where they enjoy being at the top of the food chain with no recognized predators; likewise, with no predators, their size is attributed to island gigantism, as there are no constraints to its growth [3]. But their notoriety worldwide stems not from their incredible size, but rather, it stems from their deadly bite. The Komodo dragon’s mouth is a disease factory, with more than its fair share of pathogenic bacteria. A single bite removes not only a good amount of flesh, but transmits these lovely microbes into the prey, which dies of bacteremia, septicemia, and handful of other infections [3][6]. Surely, the innate properties and conditions inside the Komodo dragon’s mouth create an ideal paradise for these bacteria, right? Not so fast.
The Komodo Dragon (From the Smithsonian American Museum of Natural History)[3
Komodo Dragon Mouth Niche
Location and Physical Conditions
The niche inside the mouth of the Komodo dragon is surprisingly no more extraordinary than the niche inside any other reptilian mouth. There are no pathogens unique to the Komodo dragon; its mouth has no unique pH (near neutral), temperature, or dentition to facilitate the growth of uncommon microbes. As an ectotherm (cold-blooded), it cannot even regulate its internal body temperature, including its mouth, though it enjoys a rather unusually stable core temperature [3]. On top of that, these dragons are born with clean and sterile mouths and are responsible for developing their own bacterial flora [1].
The truth is rather quite un-extraordinary. The dragon’s mouth is a breeding ground for 50 to 80 kinds of bacterial species—most of which are pathogenic—due to its diet and environment. This is because Komodo dragons are primarily carrion eaters [7]. Their diet is composed mainly on the putrefying corpses of animals, rich in protein and a plethora of thriving bacterial colonies. The rotting flesh of their prey typically gets stuck in between its 60 small, serrated teeth [3][2]; the many bacterial species form biofilms via their pili for fimbrial adherence on to the lizard’s teeth and thrive, as they are routinely treated to carrion and fresh meat [3]. Additionally, the teeth provide a hard, stable surface for colonization and an optimal growing temperature (37ºC). Komodo dragons are exposed to additional bacteria in the water, soil, and feces—which they roll in to avoid predation from larger Komodo dragons [14]. The conditions inside the dragon mouth niche, for the most part, are rather constant, though it changes during feeding (food, salivation, oxygen levels, etc.).
Hope it helps ✌✌
The Komodo dragon takes the cake as the largest living species of lizard, and though it doesn’t breathe fire, it can grow to an average of 2 to 3 meters, generally weighing 70 kg. In terms the average American layman can understand, they can grow up to 6.5 to 10 feet and weigh about 154 lb [1]. These giant lizards inhabit the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang, and Gili Dasami, where they enjoy being at the top of the food chain with no recognized predators; likewise, with no predators, their size is attributed to island gigantism, as there are no constraints to its growth [3]. But their notoriety worldwide stems not from their incredible size, but rather, it stems from their deadly bite. The Komodo dragon’s mouth is a disease factory, with more than its fair share of pathogenic bacteria. A single bite removes not only a good amount of flesh, but transmits these lovely microbes into the prey, which dies of bacteremia, septicemia, and handful of other infections [3][6]. Surely, the innate properties and conditions inside the Komodo dragon’s mouth create an ideal paradise for these bacteria, right? Not so fast.
The Komodo Dragon (From the Smithsonian American Museum of Natural History)[3
Komodo Dragon Mouth Niche
Location and Physical Conditions
The niche inside the mouth of the Komodo dragon is surprisingly no more extraordinary than the niche inside any other reptilian mouth. There are no pathogens unique to the Komodo dragon; its mouth has no unique pH (near neutral), temperature, or dentition to facilitate the growth of uncommon microbes. As an ectotherm (cold-blooded), it cannot even regulate its internal body temperature, including its mouth, though it enjoys a rather unusually stable core temperature [3]. On top of that, these dragons are born with clean and sterile mouths and are responsible for developing their own bacterial flora [1].
The truth is rather quite un-extraordinary. The dragon’s mouth is a breeding ground for 50 to 80 kinds of bacterial species—most of which are pathogenic—due to its diet and environment. This is because Komodo dragons are primarily carrion eaters [7]. Their diet is composed mainly on the putrefying corpses of animals, rich in protein and a plethora of thriving bacterial colonies. The rotting flesh of their prey typically gets stuck in between its 60 small, serrated teeth [3][2]; the many bacterial species form biofilms via their pili for fimbrial adherence on to the lizard’s teeth and thrive, as they are routinely treated to carrion and fresh meat [3]. Additionally, the teeth provide a hard, stable surface for colonization and an optimal growing temperature (37ºC). Komodo dragons are exposed to additional bacteria in the water, soil, and feces—which they roll in to avoid predation from larger Komodo dragons [14]. The conditions inside the dragon mouth niche, for the most part, are rather constant, though it changes during feeding (food, salivation, oxygen levels, etc.).
Hope it helps ✌✌
ashuaggarwal3:
If it helps please mark it as brainliest answer ...
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