Behavior of Varaniis Komodoensis 
329 
territory around the carcass, and, since oras 
are not obviously sexually dimorphic, she 
possesses essentially all the morphologic 
characteristics of males. Hence, large males 
may be ambivalent in their approaches to a 
female and may threaten her, obviously in- 
terfering -with successful courtship. 
When two or more lizards meet near a 
carcass, the smaller individuals behave in a 
characteristic way: They may be restless; 
they change rapidly from one activity to 
another; and their movements may be in- 
complete or distorted. In the case of court- 
ship, males may on one occasion court a 
a female intently and on another ignore her 
completely, as is shown above to be a typical 
pattern between 19W and 23W. The variation 
in this sexually directed responses, and in 
their duration and intensity all are probably 
reflections of competing responses. 
Cues in Courtship 
Included in Table 4 are cues important in 
courtship behavior. The typical sequence 
above illustrates the point that stress reac- 
tions occur only in the early phases of court- 
ship and are associated with conflict. Hyoid 
inflation is not necessarily related to domi- 
nance as it is in iguanids, nor are visual dis- 
plays a significant factor in the courtship 
of monitors, as in agamid and iguanid lizards. 
There are no systematic variations of stereo- 
typed movements, such as the rhythmic repe- 
tition of head bobbing, often involved in the 
Figure 18. Male (19W) touching female (23W) with tongue and tip of snout during courtship behavior. 
