306 
Auffenberg 
Figure 3. Core (cross-hatched) and foraging 
(clear) ranges for 19 W, a 2.8 m resident male 
V. komodoensis, Loho Liang, Komodo. Stars show 
location of thermoregulatory sites, dots are com- 
monly used shelters. Boundary features indicated. 
dividuals suggests that the core areas are 
infrequently trespassed. If there is a terri- 
torial system, it is probably less rigid than 
that observed in the iguanids. The activity 
areas are large and defense of the entire 
boundary would be difficult. 
The fact that the region around the core 
area is heavily forested and hilly in some 
places suggests that vision compared with 
scent plays a minor role in monitoring the 
presence of intruders. In all our encounters 
(n=415) with walking Komodo monitors, 
none was seen in pairs or aggregations, ex- 
cept at food. Hunting is apparently a solitary 
activity. Meetings between hunting monitors 
are probably rare, due to low density. In fact, 
meetings may be avoided so as not to pro- 
voke aggression. In the Komodo monitor, 
spacing is regulated by auditory, olfactory, 
tactile, and visual communication. 
Olfactory and Related Communication 
Some chemical cues used by Komodo moni- 
tors (such as those providing sexual identifi- 
cation during courtship) are immediate. But 
others (such as fecal pellets) may indicate a 
past event (that is, the passage of an in- 
dividual in that area). It may also indicate 
a future encounter (possible aggression from 
another individual in the same area). 
Accumulations of fecal pellets are often 
found near the sentinal sites, where residents 
regularly spend the night in very specific 
areas (see below). Early morning basking 
normally occurs close to these sleeping areas. 
The fecal pellets of residents are usually 
deposited just after they have attained 
optimal core temperature and before they 
begin their search for food. Thus most pellets 
are deposited at the basking area (Fig. 4). 
The few rains that fall on Komodo ensure 
that the fecal material at these dunging sites 
remains for many months. Fecal pellets are 
also often deposited along game trails and 
dry creek beds where monitors go daily in 
search of food (Fig. 5). 
A fecal pellet in the path of an individual 
usually elicits much investigative behavior. 
There is frequent tongue flicking and circling 
around the pellet. At such times juveniles 
often present an appeasement display (see 
below). There is, in fact, so much interest in 
the pellets that I am led to the conclusion that 
they constitute an important source of in- 
formation regarding the sex, age, and breed- 
ing condition of another lizard. 
Olfactory cues have a quality of persis- 
tence. Olfacients associated with the fecal 
pellets deposited on the ground have a chance 
for surviving a longer time than odors re- 
leased into the air. I believe that in the 
scent-oriented Komodo monitor, social inte- 
gration is accomplished largely by fecal 
Figure 4. Fecal pellet distribution on Hills 19 and 
23, Loho Liang, Komodo, showing concentration 
near thermoregulatory sites, (hollow circles). 
