Cobra Clubtail vs Komodo Dragon

Gomphurus vastus compared with Varanus komodoensis

Key Differences

Cobra Clubtail is Least Concern while Komodo Dragon is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cobra Clubtail	Komodo Dragon
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Reptilia (Reptiles)
Order	Odonata (Odonata)	Squamata (Lizards & Snakes)
Family	Gomphidae	Varanidae (Monitor Lizards)
Genus	Gomphurus	Varanus (Monitor Lizards)
Species	Gomphurus vastus	Varanus komodoensis

Evolutionary Relationship

Cobra Clubtail and Komodo Dragon share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

View Kingdom: Animalia

Conservation Status

Cobra Clubtail

LC — Least Concern

Komodo Dragon

EN — Endangered

Population: ~3.5K

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cobra Clubtail	Komodo Dragon
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	30 years
Average Length	—	2.6 m
Average Weight	—	70.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cobra Clubtail

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found in United States.

Komodo Dragon

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 4 distinct biome types spanning the Australasia and Indomalayan realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Indonesia. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Cobra Clubtail

The cobra clubtail (Gomphurus vastus) is a large, robust dragonfly belonging to the family Gomphidae, distinguished by the characteristic club-shaped expansion at the terminal segments of the male's abdomen—a feature that lends the entire clubtail family its common name. This species is one of the largest gomphids in eastern North America, with a body length typically reaching 60–75 millimeters. Males display striking yellow and black patterning along the abdomen, with the club markings particularly vivid during territorial displays. Cobra clubtails inhabit large, clean rivers with moderate to swift currents and sandy or gravelly substrates, where larvae burrow into the riverbed during their multi-year aquatic development. The species is distributed across the eastern United States, with strongholds in river systems draining the Appalachian foothills and the Midwest, including portions of the Ohio, Tennessee, and Mississippi River drainages. Adults are strong fliers that perch on rocks and logs near the water's edge, making short forays to catch flying insect prey in mid-air. Mating occurs in flight over the river, and females deposit eggs directly into the water by tapping the abdomen on the surface. The cobra clubtail is sensitive to water quality degradation and siltation, serving as a bioindicator of river health. It is listed as Least Concern given its relatively broad distribution across river systems with adequate habitat quality.