Komodo Dragon vs Scaly Shield

Varanus komodoensis compared with Pluteus petasatus

Key Differences

• Komodo Dragon is Endangered while Scaly Shield is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Komodo Dragon	Scaly Shield
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Reptilia (Reptiles)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Squamata (Lizards & Snakes)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Varanidae (Monitor Lizards)	Pluteaceae
Genus	Varanus (Monitor Lizards)	Pluteus
Species	Varanus komodoensis	Pluteus petasatus

Conservation Status

Komodo Dragon

EN — Endangered

Population: ~3.5K

Trend: Stable →

Scaly Shield

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Komodo Dragon	Scaly Shield
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.

Scaly Shield

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (4 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Brazil).

Komodo Dragon

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