Komodo Dragon vs Melissa Arctic

Varanus komodoensis compared with Oeneis melissa

Key Differences

• Komodo Dragon is Endangered while Melissa Arctic is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Komodo Dragon	Melissa Arctic
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Reptilia (Reptiles)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Squamata (Lizards & Snakes)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Varanidae (Monitor Lizards)	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Varanus (Monitor Lizards)	Oeneis
Species	Varanus komodoensis	Oeneis melissa

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Komodo Dragon

EN — Endangered

Population: ~3.5K

Trend: Stable →

Melissa Arctic

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

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.

Melissa Arctic

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found in Russia.

Komodo Dragon

The Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard. It is found only on a few Indonesian islands.