The amazing dentition of Varanus salvadorii

[Steeve B]

, this upper maxilla and lower mandible belongs to a 1.70m TL female, this = approximately 9cm skull, just imagine what an 28cm skull would look like?
Rgds

[AgaR]

:jawdrop: WOW it's HUGE
thx for sharing this pic with us
it's AMAZING!
an emerald tooth looks pretty small if they are compared :P

Cya
Alex

[mbayless]

Hi Steve,

Long time no talk too? You mad at me or something?? I have prepped a salvadorii skull too, a male over 7 feet long, and teeth measuring 17mm long! I have submitted TWO articles on this skull and species in Brit. J. Herp. bulletin - with pics...do you have pics of the entire skull bones you can share with me??

Thanks Steve,
markb

[Steeve B]

Hello Mark, I started cleaning the entire skeleton this morning and will assemble it as a winter project, along with a dracaena; I can only imagine how your male's dentition looks like in comparison with my little female. Do you know if doreanus has a similar dentition arrangement?

[jungleshadows]

I have some teeth from my 8 foot croc monitor. What amazed me is not the size of them but the lack of density.

They are almost hollow like and can be easily broken. What good is that? and you would think they must grow back fast if so brittle.

Atleast comparing them to mammal teeth or even crocodilian teeth they are not to impressive.

Comparing to other monitors however they are.

[treevaranus]

here's the jawbone from an 8' salvadorii male. I'd hate to get bit by one of these... Think of the damage one can do if it got around your hand....ouch.. You can pretty much render that hand useless from then on in....

bob

[IMG]http://gallery.****************/index.pl?photo=108024&size=big[/IMG]

[treevaranus]

here's the pic, sorry...

bob

[mbayless]

Hi Steve,
No, I do not have a V. doreanus skull (yet), but do have SKULLS OF 1.1 V. jobiensis, 1.0 V. bengalensis, 1.0 V. salvadorii, 1.0 V. indicus, 10.0 V. rudicollis, 1.0 V. dumerilii, 1.0 V. acanthurus, 1.0 V. exanthermaticus, 1.0 V. albigularis, 1.0 V. ocellatus, maxilla of Megalania prisca, and 3.0 V. salvator all on display here, + a hatchling V. juxtindicus freeze-dried on display. I would like to see a V. doreanus too.

I will send you pic of V. salvadorii skull for comparison for you... but articles will tell much much more about Artrellia than I can here.
I would be especially interested to see the 'frontals' on your V. salvadorii....
cheers Steve,
mark

[Steeve B]

at first glance I agree with jungleshdows, the teeth of salvadorii doesn’t look as solid as other large varanids, however when we look farther into there biology, see photo the strongest teeth’s are in sets of 2, this aid in strength distribution, we can see they are designed to puncture and hold, unlike many monitors witch will shake there prey violently to rip flesh apart, salvadorii clamps while eviscerating the prey with there claws, they do not shake as this will damage their teeth’s, the way they are disposed clearly demonstrate how effective they are at restraining, an other observation that stroke me was the thin skull structure, obviously these creatures evolved a complex skeleton that promote lightness without scarifying effectiveness, some monitors have very thick skulls and really on brut force, while salvadorii have a multi pieces skull hold together by many ligaments tendons and muscle, its flexibility must contribute to its tenacity in holding on prey. Aim also quit intrigued with the numerous pits on the jaws, perhaps they are used in distributing blood and saliva to the gums? All rodents tested died of infection or hemorrhagic after a bite.

Mark no problem when aim finished (cleaning the skull that is!)

[Optimus Prime]

Wow that is very kool, Deffinatly don't want to get bitten bye one of those bad boys.

[mbayless]

Hi Steve,
Also, there is an abundance of floating/free teeth as well in the gums, either coming in to replace the larger teeth, or perhaps as support to those imbedded onto jaws....the little holes along the jaw-line are for nerve to enter/exit the skull.

The skull of V. salvadorii is very light compared to a similar sized V. albigularis skull - I believe the bones hollow/more porous like in birds = better agility/movement through the canopy to pounce on unwary prey. I suppose a simple test could show this lighter-bone by simply measuring the denisty D= m/v (m=mass; v=volume) of comparable varanids/bones and birds and see where they all lay numerically...that might show something?

cheers,
markb

[reptiguy123]

Give it a shot, Mark! I would love to hear your findings.

[bear24]

You could just measure the amount of water the bones displace. Then weigh the bones and multiply weight by water displaced. That should work. I just wish I had enough bones to do it. I hope you post your findings Mark I would love to repeat the trial.

[reptiguy123]

But Mark, how often do you get fresh bones?