Komodo Dragon vs Lesser Elaenia

Varanus komodoensis compared with Elaenia chiriquensis

Key Differences

• Komodo Dragon is Endangered while Lesser Elaenia is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Komodo Dragon	Lesser Elaenia
Kingdom same	Animalia (hewan)	Animalia (hewan)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Reptilia (Reptil)	Aves (burung)
Order	Squamata (Lizards & Snakes)	Passeriformes (burung pengicau)
Family	Varanidae (Monitor Lizards)	Tyrannidae
Genus	Varanus (Monitor Lizards)	Elaenia
Species	Varanus komodoensis	Elaenia chiriquensis

Evolutionary Relationship

Komodo Dragon and Lesser Elaenia share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Komodo Dragon

EN — Endangered

Population: ~3.5K

Trend: Stable →

Lesser Elaenia

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Komodo Dragon	Lesser Elaenia
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.

Lesser Elaenia

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, and Venezuela.

Komodo Dragon

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

Lesser Elaenia

Lesser Elaenia (Elaenia chiriquensis) is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Widespread and abundant across its range, with stable populations and no immediate conservation concerns.