Hobbies And Interests
Inheritance
A trait is a physical characteristic that is determined by the expression of either a single gene or a combination of genes acting together. Examples of observable traits in humans are height and eye color. All living creatures inherit their characteristics or traits from their parents. Komodo dragons' egg and sperm cells each contain half of the chromosomes that are needed for the blueprint that will create a baby Komodo dragon. During fertilization the fusion of egg and sperm cells results in a zygote that contains the full complement of chromosomes, half from the mother and half from the father. The chromosomes hold the genes that are responsible for specific traits.
Physical Features
Some of the traits that are handed down to baby Komodo dragons from their parents influence physical appearance and can be observed. These include size, body shape and tail length. Komodo dragons are the heaviest lizards on the planet. Adults weigh in at more than 300 lbs. and grow up to 10 feet long. Physical size is determined both by inheritance and environment. An animal may have inherited genes that will enable it to grow to a certain size from its parents, but if it develops a disease or cannot find sufficient food or nutrients its growth may be stunted. Though size is an inherited trait, the environment can influence the expression of that trait.
Toxic Bite
The claws of the Komodo dragon can grow up to 5 inches long, and they have rows of shark-like teeth that are serrated. These traits are passed down from parent to offspring. The mouth of a Komodo dragon harbors more than 50 types of bacteria, which render its bite deadly. Even if the prey of a Komodo dragon manages to escape, the bacteria in the dragon's saliva will poison its blood and kill it within a day. Komodo dragons will follow the scent of their injured prey and wait for it to die before continuing the meal that it had previously started. However, unlike its teeth and claws, having a mouth filled with toxic bacteria is not a trait passed down from parent Komodo dragons to their babies. When a Komodo dragon hatches from its egg, the Komodo dragon's mouth is sterile. It is the diet of carrion that helps the bacteria flourish in the dragon's mouth.
Parthenogenesis
Female Komodo dragons can reproduce both sexually and asexually. In parthenogenesis, which translates from Greek to "virgin birth," female Komodo dragons produce babies without fertilization by a male. The resulting offspring receive all their traits from the mother. However, they are not clones of the mother, even though they have only one parent. Scientists do not yet fully understand the process, but somehow, even though the female's egg contains only half of a set of chromosomes, they then double up to create a full set without the help of a male.