Komodo Dragon vs Raya vela

Varanus komodoensis compared with Rajella lintea

Key Differences

• Komodo Dragon is Endangered while Raya vela is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Komodo Dragon	Raya vela
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (cordados)	Chordata (cordados)
Class	Reptilia (reptil)	Elasmobranchii
Order	Squamata (Lizards & Snakes)	Rajiformes (Rajiformes)
Family	Varanidae (Monitor Lizards)	Rajidae
Genus	Varanus (Monitor Lizards)	Rajella
Species	Varanus komodoensis	Rajella lintea

Evolutionary Relationship

Komodo Dragon and Raya vela share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (cordados)

Conservation Status

Komodo Dragon

EN — Endangered

Population: ~3.5K

Trend: Stable →

Raya vela

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Komodo Dragon	Raya vela
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.

Raya vela

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Komodo Dragon

El dragón de Komodo es el lagarto viviente más grande. Se encuentra únicamente en unas pocas islas indonesias.