Q 01/05

What is the Komodo dragon's scientific name?

A) Varanus salvadorii

B) Varanus komodoensis

C) Varanus varius

D) Varanus priscus

Answer · why

B) Varanus komodoensis

Varanus salvadorii is the crocodile monitor of New Guinea, V. varius the lace monitor and V. priscus the extinct giant megalania.

Q 02/05

Komodo dragons are native to islands in which country?

A) Philippines

B) Indonesia

C) Papua New Guinea

D) Malaysia

Answer · why

B) Indonesia

They are found only on Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Dasami and Gili Motang, in the Lesser Sunda chain.

Q 03/05

The Komodo dragon belongs to which lizard family?

A) Varanidae (monitor lizards)

B) Iguanidae (iguanas)

C) Helodermatidae (beaded lizards)

D) Agamidae (agamas)

Answer · why

A) Varanidae (monitor lizards)

Monitors are the family that also includes Australia's perentie and lace monitor and Africa's Nile monitor.

Q 04/05

Males can grow to roughly what maximum length?

A) 2 m (6.5 ft)

B) 4 m (13 ft)

C) 3 m (10 ft)

D) 5 m (16 ft)

Answer · why

C) 3 m (10 ft)

The largest verified captive specimen was a shade over that, at 3.1 metres and 166 kilograms including its last meal.

Q 05/05

What is the main prey of adult Komodo dragons in the wild?

A) Green sea turtles and their eggs

B) Javan rusa deer and feral pigs

C) Fruit bats and long-tailed macaques

D) Reef fish and mangrove crabs

Answer · why

B) Javan rusa deer and feral pigs

Deer, pigs and buffalo were all introduced to the islands by people; in the Pleistocene the dragons are thought to have hunted dwarf elephants instead...