Komodo dragons have iron-coated teeth, a terrifying trait that might have been shared by Tyrannosaurus Rex, scientists have found.
Researchers at King’s College London discovered that the serrated teeth of the giant lizards are tipped with iron, helping to keep them knife-sharp and perfectly suited to tearing into flesh.
Komodos have sharp, curved teeth similar to those of many carnivorous dinosaurs, and scientists believe that the iron-tipped fangs could have been shared by extinct meat-eaters, even though the adaptation cannot be seen in the fossil record.
Dr Aaron LeBlanc, lecturer in dental biosciences at King’s College London and the study’s lead author, said: “Komodo dragons have curved, serrated teeth to rip and tear their prey just like those of meat-eating dinosaurs.
“We want to use this similarity to learn more about how carnivorous dinosaurs might have eaten 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 fossilised dinosaur teeth had high levels of iron or not.
“With further analysis of the Komodo teeth we may be able to find other markers in the iron coating that aren’t changed during fossilisation. 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.”
Komodo dragons are native to Indonesia and are the largest living species of lizard in the world, averaging about 12 and a half stone. Males can grow up to 9.8ft in length and weigh more than 23st.
Their big size means they dominate ecosystems, hunting and ambushing prey including birds and pigs. But they will eat almost any kind of carrion including horse or water buffalo, pulling and tearing at their prey to rip flesh apart.
Komodo dragons have also been known to occasionally attack humans.
Because of their slow metabolism, large dragons can survive on as few as 12 meals a year, and after eating a large meal must move to a sunny spot to speed up digestion so that the food does not rot in their stomachs.
Although many reptiles have some iron in their teeth, Komodo dragons have concentrated the iron along the cutting edges and tips of their teeth, staining them orange.
Crocodiles and other monitor lizards, by comparison, have so little that the iron is often invisible.
Dr Benjamin Tapley, curator of reptiles and amphibians at London Zoo and co-author on the study, said: “As the world’s largest lizards, Komodo dragons are inarguably impressive animals.
“Having worked with them for 12 years at London Zoo, I continue to be fascinated by them and these findings further emphasise 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.”
The study was published in Nature Ecology & Evolution.
