Behavior of VaraniLS Komodoensis 
327 
Figure 16. During courtship one of the most obvious displays is scratching the back of the female (23W) 
by the male (19W). 
diately, and rubs his face on 
her side just before momen- 
tarily mounting her again. 
When he slides off after sev- 
eral seconds, she moves a 
few feet forward. He again 
scratches her back with his 
right front foot. She walks 
forward, and he follows her 
into the brush, where she be- 
gins to run. He follows very 
closely at the same pace, 
trying to place his right foot 
on her back. 
13:1U 19W returns to carrion. 
lJi.:08 13W presents appeasement 
display to 19W as the former 
approaches from downwind. 
lJf:25 13W runs away as 23 W ap- 
proaches carrion from down- 
wind. 19W immediately walks 
to 23W and mounts her with- 
out any preliminaries. She 
presents a stress reaction and 
moves a few feet as he slides 
off her back and begins to 
feed on the carrion. 
H.:52 23 W returns to carrion and 
both eat together. 19W seems 
to be trying to crawl under- 
neath 23W, forcing his head, 
neck, and anterior part of the 
