Judul: Komparasi Karakteristik Skelet Aksial Komodo (Varanus komodoensis) dan Biawak Air (Varanus salvator).
Abstrak: Indonesia memiliki keanekaragaman spesies biawak tinggi, yaitu 40% (73 spesies) dari total biawak di dunia. Komodo (Varanus komodoensis) merupakan spesies biawak terbesar di dunia yang menjadi prioritas konservasi karena populasi yang mulai berkurang di alam. Penelitian ini bertujuan mempelajari komparasi karakteristik skelet aksial komodo (Varanus komodoensis) dan biawak air (Varanus salvator) yang dikaitkan dengan fungsi dan pola perilakunya. Tulang skelet aksial diamati dan didokumentasi menggunakan kamera. Tulang vertebrae komodo berjumlah 72 buah, sedangkan biawak air memiliki lebih banyak yaitu 85 buah. Kedua hewan ini memiliki 9 buah vertebrae cervicales, 18 buah vertebrae thoracicae, 2 buah vertebrae lumbales. Komodo memiliki 3 buah vertebrae sacrales (os sacrum) dan 40 buah vertebrae caudales, sedangkan biawak air memiliki 2 buah vertebrae sacrales dan 54 buah vertebrae caudales. Skelet aksial komodo dan biawak air secara umum memiliki kemiripan, tetapi terdapat perbedaan anatomis, jumlah skelet aksial biawak air lebih banyak dibandingkan pada komodo. Perbedaan skelet aksial komodo dan biawak air memengaruhi perilaku berjalan, berenang dan memanjat.
Keyword: Axial skeleton, komodo dragon, water monitor lizard

Judul: Comparison of the Characteristics of Forelimb Skeletal Anatomy of Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) and Asiatic Water Monitor (Varanus salvator)
Abstrak: Komodo dan biawak air merupakan hewan yang memiliki kekerabatan yang dekat namun memiliki peran ekologi yang berbeda. Komodo merupakan apex predator sedangkan biawak merupakan scavenger dan opportunistic predator. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengamati komparasi anatomi ekstremitas kaki depan komodo (Varanus komodoensis) dan biawak air (Varanus salvator) serta hubungan dengan perilaku alamiahnya. Penelitian dilakukan dengan mengamati anatomi ekstremitas dan perilaku kedua hewan tersebut. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa os scapula dan os coracoidea pada komodo menyatu menjadi os coracoscapula, sedangkan pada biawak air terpisah oleh syndesmosis. Adanya syndesmosis diduga berhubungan dengan perilaku berenang pada biawak air sedangkan komodo merupakan hewan terestrial. Pada komodo, terdapat crista deltoidea yang diduga berhubungan dengan perilaku menggali liang komodo yang lebih besar dibandingkan liang biawak air. Komodo memiliki dua buah crista pectoralis sedangkan biawak air hanya memiliki satu buah crista pectoralis. Perbedaan ini diduga berhubungan dengan sifat arboreal pada komodo muda yang tidak ditemukan pada biawak air. Komodo memiliki olecranon yang berkembang, sedangkan biawak air memiliki olecranon yang relatif kecil. Olecranon yang berkembang pada komodo diduga berhubungan dengan perilaku berburu open pursuit komodo. Pada ossa carpi komodo, terdapat dua buah os pisiforme sedangkan biawak air hanya memiliki satu buah os pisiforme. Perbedaan ini diduga untuk meningkatkan fleksibilitas pergelangan kaki depan komodo saat berburu sedangkan biawak air tidak terlalu membutuhkan perilaku berlari untuk mengejar mangsanya., Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) and asiatic water monitors (Varanus salvator) are closely related animals but have different ecological roles. Komodo dragons are apex predators while asiatic water monitors are scavengers and opportunistic predators. The aim of this study is to compare the skeletal anatomy of the extremities of the komodo and the water monitor and it’s behaviour. This research was conducted by observing the anatomy of the fore leg skeleton of both species and observing their behaviour via videos. The results of the study shows that the komodo’s scapula and it’s coracoid bone are fused becoming coracoscapula bone, while water monitors has it’s scapula and coracoidea bone divided by a syndesmosis. The presence of a syndesmosis on water monitors is presumed to be related to the swimming behaviour while komodos are terrestrial animals. The presence of a crista deltoidea on komodos is presumed to be connected to it’s burrowing behaviour which is bigger than water monitors. Komodos have two crista pectoralis while water monitors only have one. This is presumed to be connected to the juvenile komodo’s arboreal nature which is absent in water monitors. Komodos have more developed olecranon than water monitor’s. This difference is presumed to be connected to it’s open pursuit hunting method. A komodo’s carpal bones have two os pisiforme while water monitors only have one. This difference is presumed to increase wrist flexibility of the komodo during hunting while it’s not necessary for water monitors.
Keyword: Biawak Air, Komodo, Komparasi Skelet Ekstremitas, Perilaku

Judul: Transformation of jatropha seeds (Jatropha curcas L.)  into biodiesel by in situ transesterification
Abstrak: Biodiesel is defined as mono-alkyl esters from transesterification reaction of triglycerides with alkyl alcohol. In situ transesterification is a method to produce biodiesel from oil sources of material by eliminating process steps of oil extraction and refining. The purpose of this research is to study the transformation process of Jatropha seeds into biodiesel by in situ transesterification on the 10 liters scale by studying the influence of reaction time, stirring speed and ratio methanol/hexane/material on the yield and quality of biodiesel. In situ transesterification of Jatropha seeds was carried out under the following process condition: the moisture content of Jatropha seeds were less than 2%, the particles size were ± 20 mesh and KOH concentration was 0.075 mol/L methanol. Operating condition of in situ transesterification was varied at 4 and 6 hours reaction time, 200 and 600 rpm stirring speed and ratio methanol/hexane/material (v/v/w) were 3:3:1, 4:2:1 and 5:1:1. Analysis of variance showed that reaction time, stirring speed and ratio methanol/hexane/material did not significantly affected the yield, acid value, saponification value, ester value, viscosity and ash content of biodiesel. The biodiesel yield was produced between 82.54-87.57%. The best biodiesel yield on all of treatments was 87.57% with condition treatment were reaction time of 6 hours, stirring speed 600 rpm and ratio methanol/hexane/material (v/v/w) of 4:2:1. Acid value, saponification value and ester value of biodiesel were 0.20-0.26 mg KOH/g, 185.49-194.30 mg KOH/g and 185.29-194.10 mg KOH/g respectively. Viscosity of biodiesel was 3.49-6.36 cSt. The ash content of biodiesel was 0%, but the condition treatment, were reaction time of 4 hours, stirring speed of 600 rpm and ratio methanol/hexane/material (v/v/w) of 5:1:1, had ash content of 0.007%. Jatropha cakes had total volatile matter content 1.80-3.64% and extracted material content 3.94-11.42%.
Keyword: