![]() |
Credit: RGBStock / Adrian van Leen |
Years ago, I was working a desk job and the manager put a big lizard nearby. It kept watching my every move. I asked why this was happening, and I was told that it was a monitor lizard.
"That's dreadful, Cowboy Bob!"
Well, I wasn't too keen on being monitored, either.
The Komodo dragon is a kind of monitor lizard (which supposedly got its name by monitoring its surroundings for predators). This bad boy is big, mean, fast, has poison, and relentless. It has no problem taking down a water buffalo for lunch. Studies of the metabolisms of Komodo dragons and alligators support what has already been believed about the reptilian nature of dinosaurs.
Based on these findings, researchers have proposed that many dinosaurs had low metabolic levels during resting or low-activity periods but could rapidly expand their lung ventilation levels for bursts of activity associated with running, attacking, and defensive maneuvers. This type of adaptation would also have allowed large dinosaurs to sustain life within a reasonable level of caloric intake. Indeed, research showed that if large dinosaurs were warm-blooded, they wouldn’t have been able to ingest enough food to maintain their metabolism.You can read the entire article by clicking on "Dinosaurs Had Reptilian Metabolic Adaptation".
Looking for a comment area?
You can start your own conversation by using the buttons below!