The oral and skin microbiomes of captive Komodo Dragons are significantly shared with their habitat.

Here we collect saliva, skin, and fecal samples from captive Komodo dragons (V. komodoensis) and other captive varanids (V. olivaceus, V. indicus, V. rudicollis) in the first-ever culture-independent assessment of the varanid microbiome. Environmental samples were also collected to characterize host-environment microbiome sharing. This study adds crucial information to our understanding of captive Komodo dragon microbial ecology.