Komodo dragons, the world’s largest lizards, have long fascinated scientists and the public alike with their formidable size and deadly capabilities. Now, their fearsome reputation is further solidified by a new discovery: their teeth are coated with a layer of iron.
Scientists from King’s College London uncovered this striking feature when they observed an orange pigment on the tips and serrated edges of the dragons’ teeth. Upon further analysis, the scientists were stunned to find that the coloring was due to a thin layer of iron oxide — rust.
The concentrated iron layer enhances the hardness and sharpness of the teeth. Remarkably, starting from this observation, the researchers found that other reptile species have some iron in their enamel, although not as pronounced.
Iron-Clad Serration
The iron coating makes the teeth exceptionally resistant to wear, perfect for an apex predator that relies on its teeth to rip and tear through its prey. When a Komodo dragon ambushes its prey, typically a deer, water buffalo, or even another Komodo dragon, it employs its serrated, shark-like teeth and powerful jaws to deliver a devastating bite. The initial attack is swift and deadly, as the dragon’s teeth puncture deeply into the flesh, causing significant blood loss and trauma.
However, the true horror of its puncture-pull technique lies in what follows. The Komodo dragon doesn’t merely bite. It yanks its head back forcefully, utilizing the sheer strength of its neck muscles. This motion, akin to tearing, rips chunks of flesh away from the prey’s body. The dragon’s saliva, teeming with harmful bacteria, helps to ensure that even if the prey escapes the immediate assault, it will likely succumb to infection and blood poisoning within a few days. The dragon’s keen sense of smell, capable of detecting a carcass from several miles away, allows it to track and reclaim its dying or dead prey.
Now, as if they weren’t extraordinary enough, scientists have also found that the Komodo’s teeth are coated in metal.
Special Reptilian Teeth
The research team utilized advanced imaging techniques and various chemical and mechanical analyses to study teeth from multiple Komodo dragon specimens. These included a 15-year-old dragon called Ganas from the London Zoo. They also studied other reptiles like monitor lizards, crocodiles, alligators, and even dinosaurs.
The researchers chose the dinosaur comparison for a good reason — the dragon has similar teeth to extinct dinosaur predators such as the mighty T. rex.
“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 ate and if they used iron in their teeth the same way as the Komodo dragon,” said Aaron LeBlanc, lecturer in Dental Biosciences at King’s College London and the study’s lead author.
“Unfortunately, using the technology we have at the moment, we can’t see whether fossilised dinosaur teeth had high levels of iron or not. We think that the chemical changes which take place during the fossilisation process obscure how much iron was present to start with.”
The analysis revealed that Komodo dragons’ enamel is concentrated into a thin coating on top of their tooth serrations and tips. Other reptiles included in the study also surprisingly had some iron in their enamel. But the metal coating along the Komodo’s sharp teeth was the most striking. The findings suggest that this iron-rich coating could be a more widespread feature among reptilian teeth than previously thought, although this will require further research.
Implications for Reptiles and Dinosaurs
This discovery offers new insights into how the teeth of carnivorous dinosaurs might have functioned. Although no iron coatings were found in dinosaur fossils, researchers believe that the iron could have degraded over millions of years.
“What we did find, though, was that larger meat-eating dinosaurs, like tyrannosaurs, did change the structure of the enamel itself on the cutting edges of their teeth. So, while Komodo dragons have altered the chemistry of their teeth, some dinosaurs altered the structure of their dental enamel to maintain a sharp cutting edge,” LeBlanc said.
“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.”
The study also hints at potential applications in human dentistry. The structure of Komodo dragon teeth could inspire new techniques for regenerating human enamel, potentially leading to advances in dental care.
Conservation efforts are critical as the species faces threats from habitat destruction and illegal hunting. Only about 3,500 Komodo dragons are left in the wild on Indonesia’s Lesser Sunda Islands.
“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,” said Benjamin Tapley, Curator of Reptiles and Amphibians at the Zoological Society of London.
“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 findings appeared in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution.
