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Re: 'Virgin birth' dragon Flora becomes a mum and dad
--- David Marjanovic <david.marjanovic@gmx.at> wrote:
> > The creature is carnivorous, killing goats, deer
> and other mammals through
> > deadly bacteria in its saliva.
>
> Nope, its own self-made venom.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Eh, no it's the bacteria in the saliva. There are 15
strains documented, and at least 4 of those are
virulent. Mix that with the tropical heat, and you
have a recipe for septicemia. Ora "venom" is far too
weak to do any real long term damage on its own.
-----------------------------
> > The dragon ambushes and bites its prey and then
> tracks it for up to two
> > days until it eventually dies from blood
> poisoning.
>
> Two days? Ha! Fifteen. Ectotherms don't lose
> patience after two days.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Can you cite a reference for fifteen? Can you cite a
reference for ANY ectotherm that will track dying prey
for fifteen days?
Not that it matters much anyway. The news report is
dead wrong with this scenario. Komodo dragons are NOT
bite and release hunters. All releases are purely
accidental. The septicemia acts only as a backup; much
like with lynx and caribou (who do tend to die from
the septic bites at around 15 days).
Jason
"I am impressed by the fact that we know less about many modern [reptile] types
than we do of many fossil groups." - Alfred S. Romer
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