Behavior of Varanus Komodoensis 
307 
Table 4. Communication types important in social and feeding behavior of Komodo monitors. 
Sensory 
type 
Stimulus 
Response 
Probable Communicatory Function 
Chemical 
Fecal odor 
Investigatory behavior 
Sexual maturity, individual identification, density, 
dominance odors, territorial, and home-range 
markers. 
Body surface 
olfacients 
Investigatory behavior which 
may lead to avoidance, 
courtship, or other behavior 
Sexual maturity and individual identification. 
Tactile 
Casual bodily 
contact 
Remaining close, nonaggres- 
sive contact, or alarm be- 
havior (stress or flight) 
Body scratching 
(by male) 
Nil, aggression, or alarm 
behavior 
May serve to quiet the female by indicating the 
male’s intent to breed rather than fight. 
Mounting 
Nil, aggression, or alarm 
behavior 
May serve to quiet the female by indicating the 
male’s intent to breed rather than fight. 
Tail invitational 
movements 
Attempts to insert hemipenis 
Communicates female’s intent to mate rather than 
flee or fight. 
Neck biting 
Restrains female movement 
Perhaps no communication except indirectly 
to indicate male’s readiness to mate. 
Visual 
Stress reaction 
Usually nil if not combined 
with other cues 
Introduction to an important, perhaps aggressive, 
display. 
Weaponry 
exhibition or 
low level threat 
Usually avoidance behavior, 
sometimes threat or flight 
Prelude to potential territorial conflict. 
Appeasement 
display 
Usually avoidance behavior, 
sometimes threat or flight 
Nonaggression. 
Auditory 
Hiss 
Usually nil if not combined 
with other cues 
Often part of threat display. 
olfacients. Perhaps the single most important 
fact regarding the fecal pellet is that it is 
not hidden, but deposited conspicuously 
along trails and other open areas. Such 
pellets probably aid in preventing unneces- 
sary encounters among monitors. Leyhausen 
(1956) suggests that olfactory marks of cats 
communicate such information as “this sec- 
tion closed,” “proceed with caution,” “go 
ahead.” 
Fecal material on hilltop sites is con- 
spicuous by its location and white color. 
There can be no doubt that on ascending 
practically any major hill, a newly arrived 
transient monitor quickly learns of the 
presence and sex of other monitors in the 
area. As in wolves (Seton, 1909), the major 
“news items” essential to their survival may 
be obtained largely by this system. Most 
individuals comprising a local monitor popu- 
lation probably do not recognize one another. 
At the same time, their rights as residents 
need constant reinforcement — not only 
through social interaction at carrion (see 
below), but by means of fecal scent signals. 
The use of this kind of signaling system is 
quite common in mammals and snakes. Such 
signals may prevent the intrusion of non- 
residents. 
Other important chemical cues are those 
associated with the discharge of cloacal and 
gastric contents. Cloacal emptying as a 
