The Musculoskeletal Anatomy of the Komodo Dragon’s Hindlimb (<i>Varanus komodoensis</i>, Varanidae)
The Komodo dragon (<i>Varanus komodoensis</i>) is the largest extant lizard and is classified as an endangered species. Despite its rarity, anatomical studies on this species remain limited, hindering a comprehensive understanding of its biology and evolutionary traits. This research pre...
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2024-12-01
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| author | Anna Tomańska Martyna Stawinoga Tomasz Gębarowski Maciej Janeczek Joanna Klećkowska-Nawrot Karolina Goździewska-Harłajczuk Maciej Dobrzyński |
| author_facet | Anna Tomańska Martyna Stawinoga Tomasz Gębarowski Maciej Janeczek Joanna Klećkowska-Nawrot Karolina Goździewska-Harłajczuk Maciej Dobrzyński |
| author_sort | Anna Tomańska |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Komodo dragon (<i>Varanus komodoensis</i>) is the largest extant lizard and is classified as an endangered species. Despite its rarity, anatomical studies on this species remain limited, hindering a comprehensive understanding of its biology and evolutionary traits. This research presents a detailed anatomical and histological examination of the pelvic limb of a female Komodo dragon, providing valuable insights into the musculoskeletal system of this species. A series of measurements and observations were made on the bones of the pelvic limb, including the femur, tibia, fibula, and pes, all of which are essential for supporting the animal’s large body size and facilitating its predatory behavior. This study also highlights the diverse muscle architecture, where large muscle masses are associated with the femoral retractors and ankle plantarflexors. Histological analysis of the muscle fibers revealed significant variability in fiber diameters, supporting the functional adaptation of the Komodo dragon’s limbs for high-speed ambush predation. This research provides important morphological data that could inform clinical practices, including orthopedic procedures and physiotherapy for Komodo dragons in zoological settings. Additionally, these findings shed light on the evolutionary patterns inherited from the species’ ancestors, which contributed to the development of its distinctive biological adaptations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8d57291cf76f4d66a8d11c4baeca870e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj-art-8d57291cf76f4d66a8d11c4baeca870e2025-01-10T13:13:51ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152024-12-011513510.3390/ani15010035The Musculoskeletal Anatomy of the Komodo Dragon’s Hindlimb (<i>Varanus komodoensis</i>, Varanidae)Anna Tomańska0Martyna Stawinoga1Tomasz Gębarowski2Maciej Janeczek3Joanna Klećkowska-Nawrot4Karolina Goździewska-Harłajczuk5Maciej Dobrzyński6Department of Biostructure and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Kożuchowska St. 1, 51-631 Wrocław, PolandVeterinary Biotechnology Student Science Club “Refectio”, Department of Biostructure and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Kożuchowska St. 1, 51-631 Wrocław, PolandDepartment of Biostructure and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Kożuchowska St. 1, 51-631 Wrocław, PolandDepartment of Biostructure and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Kożuchowska St. 1, 51-631 Wrocław, PolandDepartment of Biostructure and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Kożuchowska St. 1, 51-631 Wrocław, PolandDepartment of Biostructure and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Kożuchowska St. 1, 51-631 Wrocław, PolandDepartment of Pediatric Dentistry and Preclinical Dentistry, Wroclaw Medical University, Krakowska 26, 50-425 Wrocław, PolandThe Komodo dragon (<i>Varanus komodoensis</i>) is the largest extant lizard and is classified as an endangered species. Despite its rarity, anatomical studies on this species remain limited, hindering a comprehensive understanding of its biology and evolutionary traits. This research presents a detailed anatomical and histological examination of the pelvic limb of a female Komodo dragon, providing valuable insights into the musculoskeletal system of this species. A series of measurements and observations were made on the bones of the pelvic limb, including the femur, tibia, fibula, and pes, all of which are essential for supporting the animal’s large body size and facilitating its predatory behavior. This study also highlights the diverse muscle architecture, where large muscle masses are associated with the femoral retractors and ankle plantarflexors. Histological analysis of the muscle fibers revealed significant variability in fiber diameters, supporting the functional adaptation of the Komodo dragon’s limbs for high-speed ambush predation. This research provides important morphological data that could inform clinical practices, including orthopedic procedures and physiotherapy for Komodo dragons in zoological settings. Additionally, these findings shed light on the evolutionary patterns inherited from the species’ ancestors, which contributed to the development of its distinctive biological adaptations.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/1/35anatomylizardsKomodo dragonorthopedics |
| spellingShingle | Anna Tomańska Martyna Stawinoga Tomasz Gębarowski Maciej Janeczek Joanna Klećkowska-Nawrot Karolina Goździewska-Harłajczuk Maciej Dobrzyński The Musculoskeletal Anatomy of the Komodo Dragon’s Hindlimb (<i>Varanus komodoensis</i>, Varanidae) Animals anatomy lizards Komodo dragon orthopedics |
| title | The Musculoskeletal Anatomy of the Komodo Dragon’s Hindlimb (<i>Varanus komodoensis</i>, Varanidae) |
| title_full | The Musculoskeletal Anatomy of the Komodo Dragon’s Hindlimb (<i>Varanus komodoensis</i>, Varanidae) |
| title_fullStr | The Musculoskeletal Anatomy of the Komodo Dragon’s Hindlimb (<i>Varanus komodoensis</i>, Varanidae) |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Musculoskeletal Anatomy of the Komodo Dragon’s Hindlimb (<i>Varanus komodoensis</i>, Varanidae) |
| title_short | The Musculoskeletal Anatomy of the Komodo Dragon’s Hindlimb (<i>Varanus komodoensis</i>, Varanidae) |
| title_sort | musculoskeletal anatomy of the komodo dragon s hindlimb i varanus komodoensis i varanidae |
| topic | anatomy lizards Komodo dragon orthopedics |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/1/35 |
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