Iron-coated Komodo dragon teeth and the complex dental enamel of carnivorous reptiles.

ABSTRACT: Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) are the largest extant predatory lizards and their ziphodont (serrated, curved and blade-shaped) teeth make them valuable analogues for studying tooth structure, function and comparing with extinct ziphodont taxa, such as theropod dinosaurs. Like other ziphodont reptiles, V. komodoensis teeth possess only a thin coating of enamel that is nevertheless able to cope with the demands of their puncture-pull feeding. Using advanced chemical and structural imaging, we reveal that V. komodoensis teeth possess a unique adaptation for maintaining their cutting edges: orange, iron-enriched coatings on their tooth serrations and tips. Comparisons with other extant varanids and crocodylians revealed that iron sequestration is probably widespread in reptile enamels b

SUBMITTER: LeBlanc ARH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11383799 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature