vs Komodo Dragon

Exobasidium splendidum compared with Varanus komodoensis

Key Differences

is Least Concern while Komodo Dragon is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		Komodo Dragon
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Exobasidiomycetes (Exobasidiomycetes)	Reptilia (Reptiles)
Order	Exobasidiales (Exobasidiales)	Squamata (Lizards & Snakes)
Family	Exobasidiaceae	Varanidae (Monitor Lizards)
Genus	Exobasidium	Varanus (Monitor Lizards)
Species	Exobasidium splendidum	Varanus komodoensis

Conservation Status

LC — Least Concern

Komodo Dragon

EN — Endangered

Population: ~3.5K

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Norway, and Sweden.

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.

Exobasidium splendidum is a parasitic basidiomycete fungus that forms galls and hypertrophied growths on the leaves and stems of host plants in the heath family. It inhabits boreal and montane habitats where Ericaceae shrubs such as Arctostaphylos grow. This parasitic fungus deforms host plant tissue to extract nutrients during its reproductive phase.