Having hooked, serrated teeth is one thing, but these lizards have the teeth of dinosaurs. Theropods, like Tyrannosauridae also have what's called ziphodont teeth but theirs were just enamel and dentine. These serrated teeth were likely what made them and other 'super-carnivores' so successful, and the iron coating of Komodo dragon's teeth makes them exceptionally impressive! (Which is to say scary. These lizards can grow to be up to 10 feet long and 330 pounds with sharp claws and powerful forearms. Nightmare creatures. I love them.)
While I was searching for reference photos for this design I found another study about Komodo Dragons and their armor-like osteoderms! I've combined both concepts in these two designs, highlighting both their teeth and the chain mail-like osteoderms under their scales. That's right, in addition to basically having saw teeth, they have armor scales! They develop in adult Komodo dragons when they are no longer of a size able to escape other dragons up trees, and instead must fight. The more I learn about them, the more I think these creatures have the most accurate name. That's a freakin' dragon.
Option A
Sketch design option A: Silver metal pin with recessed skull, screen-printed eye & osteoderms (headshot)
Option B
Sketch design option B: Antique silver metal pin of a 3D skull with printed osteoderms (skull only)
Thank you again for your support of this project! Starr Vipi
