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Monitor lizards or biawak are members of the family
Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is a taxonomic rank. Exact details of formal nomenclature depend on the Nomenclature Codes which applies....
 Varanidae, a group of carnivorous lizards
Lizard

Lizards are a large and widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 5,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains....
 which includes the heaviest living lizard, the Komodo dragon
Komodo dragon

The Komodo dragon is a species of lizard that inhabits the islands of Komodo , Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang in Indonesia. A member of the monitor lizard family , it is the Largest organisms#Reptiles , growing to an average length of and weighing around ....
, with the crocodile monitor being the longest in the world. Varanidae is monotypic, containing only the genus
Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
 Varanus. Their closest living relatives are the anguid
Anguidae

The Anguidae is a large and diverse family of lizards native to the northern hemisphere. The group includes the slowworms, glass lizards, and alligator lizards, among others....
 and helodermatid lizard
Heloderma

Heloderma, the only genus of the family Helodermatidae, consists of venom lizards native to the southwestern United States, Mexico and as far south as Guatemala....
s.

Monitor lizards are generally large reptiles, although some can be as small as 12 centimetres in length.






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Encyclopedia


Monitor lizards or biawak are members of the family
Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is a taxonomic rank. Exact details of formal nomenclature depend on the Nomenclature Codes which applies....
 Varanidae, a group of carnivorous lizards
Lizard

Lizards are a large and widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 5,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains....
 which includes the heaviest living lizard, the Komodo dragon
Komodo dragon

The Komodo dragon is a species of lizard that inhabits the islands of Komodo , Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang in Indonesia. A member of the monitor lizard family , it is the Largest organisms#Reptiles , growing to an average length of and weighing around ....
, with the crocodile monitor being the longest in the world. Varanidae is monotypic, containing only the genus
Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
 Varanus. Their closest living relatives are the anguid
Anguidae

The Anguidae is a large and diverse family of lizards native to the northern hemisphere. The group includes the slowworms, glass lizards, and alligator lizards, among others....
 and helodermatid lizard
Heloderma

Heloderma, the only genus of the family Helodermatidae, consists of venom lizards native to the southwestern United States, Mexico and as far south as Guatemala....
s.

Monitor lizards are generally large reptiles, although some can be as small as 12 centimetres in length. They have long necks, powerful tails and claws, and well-developed limbs. Most species are terrestrial, but arboreal and semi-aquatic monitors are also known. Almost all monitor lizards are carnivorous, although Varanus prasinus and Varanus olivaceus are also known to eat fruit. They are oviparous, laying from 7 to 37 eggs, which they often cover with soil or protect in a hollow tree stump.

Distribution

The various species of Varanus cover a vast area, occurring through Africa
Africa

Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km? including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area....
, the Asian subcontinent from India
India

India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area country by geographical area, the List of countries by population country, and the most populous liberal democracy in the world....
 and Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is an island country in South Asia, located about off the southern coast of India....
 to China
China

China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
, down Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India and north of Australia....
 to Indonesia
Indonesia

The Republic of Indonesia , is a transcontinental country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Comprising Islands of Indonesia, it is the world's largest Archipelago state....
, the Philippines
Philippines

The Philippines, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city. It comprises 7,107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean....
, New Guinea
New Guinea

New Guinea, located just north of Australia, is the List of islands by area, having become separated from the Australian mainland when the area now known as the Torres Strait flooded after the last glacial period....
, Australia
Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
 and islands of the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering about 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by Asia ; on the west by Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and Australia; and on the south by the Southern Ocean ....
 and South China Sea
South China Sea

The South China Sea is a marginal sea*south of China,*west of the Philippines,*north west of Sabah , Sarawak and Brunei,*north of Indonesia,...
.

Evolutionary overview

Monitor lizards differ greatly from other lizards in several ways, possessing a relatively high metabolic rate
Metabolism

Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that occur in living organisms in order to maintain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments....
 for reptile
Reptile

Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia, are air-breathing, cold-blooded vertebrates that have skin covered in scale as opposed to hair or feathers....
s and several sensory adaptations that benefit the hunting of live prey. Recent research indicates that the varanid lizards, including the Komodo dragon
Komodo dragon

The Komodo dragon is a species of lizard that inhabits the islands of Komodo , Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang in Indonesia. A member of the monitor lizard family , it is the Largest organisms#Reptiles , growing to an average length of and weighing around ....
, may have weak venom
Venom

Venom is any of a variety of poisons used by certain types of animals. Generally, venom is injected by such means as a bite or a sting....
. This discovery of venom in monitor lizards, as well as in agamid lizards, led to the Toxicofera
Toxicofera

Toxicofera , is a hypothesis clade which represents about 4600 species of extant taxon squamates It encompasses all Venom reptile species, as well as numerous related non-venomous species....
 hypothesis: that all venomous lizards and snakes share a common venomous ancestor.

During the late Cretaceous
Cretaceous

The Cretaceous , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide, is a geologic period from circa to million years ago . In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows on the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period....
 era, monitor lizards or close relatives
Varanoidea

Varanoidea is a superfamily of lizards, including the well-known family Varanidae . Also included in the Varanoidea are such extinct marine and semi-Aquatic animal forms as mosasauroids and dolichosaurs, the venomous helodermatids , and the extinct Necrosauridae....
 are believed to have evolved into amphibious
Dallasaurus

Dallasaurus is a basal mosasauroid from the Upper Cretaceous of North America. The genus is based upon two partial skeletons recovered from the Arcadia Park Shale , approximately 15 meters above its contact with the older Kamp Ranch Limestone in Dallas County in north-central Texas....
 and then fully marine forms, the mosasaur
Mosasaur

Mosasaurs were serpentine marine reptiles. The first fossil remains were discovered in a limestone quarry at Maastricht on the Meuse in 1778. These ferocious marine predators are now considered to be the closest relatives of snakes, due to cladistic analysis of symptomatic similarities in jaw and skull anatomies....
s, which reached lengths of up to 17 m.

It was also believed that snake
Snake

Snakes are elongate legless carnivore reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears....
s are more closely related to monitor lizards than any other type of extant reptile, but that view has been modified recently to make snakes a sister group of the clade of iguanians
Iguania

Iguania is the suborder of Squamata that contains the iguanas, chameleons, agamids, and "New World lizards" such as anoles and Phrynosomatidae....
 and anguimorphs
Anguimorpha

Anguimorphs of the infraorder Anguimorpha include the Anguidae , monitor lizards, mosasaurs, and Heloderma . The infraorder was named by F?rbringer in 1900 to include all autarchoglossans closer to Varanus and Anguis than Scincus....
.

During the Pleistocene
Pleistocene

The Pleistocene is the epoch from 1.8 million to 10,000 years Before Present covering the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
 epoch, giant monitor lizards lived in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India and north of Australia....
 and Australasia
Australasia

Australasia is a region of Oceania: New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes ....
, the best known fossil being Varanus priscus
Megalania

Megalania is a giant extinct goanna or monitor lizard. It was part of a Australian megafauna assemblage that inhabited southern Australia during the Pleistocene, and appears to have disappeared around 40,000 years ago....
 (formerly known as Megalania prisca). This species is an iconic member of the Pleistocene megafauna
Megafauna

The term megafauna has two distinct meanings in the biological sciences. The less commonly found meaning is of any animal which can be seen with the unaided eye, in contrast to microfauna....
 of Australia
Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
.

Some monitor lizards are apparently capable of parthenogenesis
Parthenogenesis

Parthenogenesis is an asexual form of reproduction found in females where growth and development of embryos or seeds occurs without fertilization by a male....
.

Etymology

The generic
Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
 name Varanus is derived from the Arabic word waral ???, (alternative spelling 'waran'= "lizard"). The name comes from a common semitic root ouran, waran, or waral meaning "lizard"; which sounds similar to the German word warane giving rise to a legend about the animal's ability to detect crocodiles. It has been suggested that the occasional habit of varanids to stand on their two hind legs and to appear to "monitor" their surroundings led to this name as it was Latinized into Varanus. Its common name is derived from the Latin
Latin

Latin is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Military history of the Roman Empire, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe....
 word monere meaning "to warn".

In Tamil
Tamil language

Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has Official language in India, Sri Lanka and Singapore....
 and Malayalam
Malayalam language

Malayalam is a Dravidian language used predominantly in the States and territories of India of Kerala, in South India India. It is one of the 22 List of national languages of India, and it is used by around 36 million people....
 monitor lizards are known as "Udumbu", in Marathi
Marathi language

Marathi is an Indo-Aryan languages spoken by the Marathi people of western India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are 90 million fluent speakers worldwide....
 monitor lizards are known as "Ghorpad" ????? while in Australia
Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
 they are known as goanna
Goanna

Goanna is the name used to refer to any number of Australian monitor lizards of the genus Varanus, as well as to certain species from Southeast Asia....
s. In Kannada
Kannada language

Kannada is one of the major Dravidian languages of India, spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas , number roughly 35 million, making it the 27th most spoken language in the world....
 monitor lizards are known as "Uda", and in Sinhalese, "Kabaragoya". In Telugu
Telugu language

Telugu or Telegu is one of the four classical languages of India. It is a South-Central Dravidian languages mostly spoken in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, where it is the official language....
 monitor lizards are known as "Udumu". Due to confusion with the large New World lizards of the genus
Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
 iguanidae
Iguanidae

The Iguanidae is a family of lizards, composed of iguanas and related species....
, the lizards became known as "goannas" in Australia
Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
. Similarly, in Southern Africa they are referred to as "leguaan", from the Dutch
Dutch language

Dutch is a West Germanic languages spoken by over 22 million people as a first language, and about 5 million people as a second language."1% of the EU population claims to speak Dutch well enough in order to have a conversation." Outside the European Union the number of second language speakers of Dutch is very small. Most native...
 for iguana
Iguana

Iguana is a genus of lizard native to tropical areas of Central America and South America and the Caribbean. The genus was first described by Austrian naturalist Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti in his book Specimen Medicum, Exhibens Synopsin Reptilium Emendatam cum Experimentis circa Venena in 1768....
.

Intelligence


Varanid lizards are very intelligent, and some species can even count. Careful studies feeding V. albigularis at the San Diego Zoo
San Diego Zoo

The San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park, San Diego, California, San Diego, California is one of the largest, most progressive zoos in the world with over 4,000 animals of more than 800 species....
 varying numbers of snails showed that they can distinguish numbers up to six. V. niloticus have been observed to cooperate when foraging. One varanid lures the female crocodile away from her nest while the other opens the nest to feed on the eggs. The decoy then returns to also feed on the eggs. Komodo dragon
Komodo dragon

The Komodo dragon is a species of lizard that inhabits the islands of Komodo , Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang in Indonesia. A member of the monitor lizard family , it is the Largest organisms#Reptiles , growing to an average length of and weighing around ....
s, V. komodoensis, at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park
Smithsonian National Zoological Park

The Smithsonian National Zoological Park, commonly known as the National Zoo, is a zoo located in Washington, D.C. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums ....
 in Washington, D.C., recognize their keepers and seem to have distinct personalities.

In captivity


Monitor lizards have become a staple in the reptile pet trade. The most commonly kept monitors are the savannah monitor and Acklin's monitor, due to their relatively small size, low cost, and relatively calm dispositions. Nile monitors, white throated monitors, water monitor
Water monitor

The Water monitor, is a large species of monitor lizard capable of growing over 3 meters in length, with the average size of most adults at 2.5 meters long....
s, mangrove monitors, emerald tree monitor
Emerald tree monitor

The emerald tree monitor or the green tree monitor is a small-to-medium-sized arboreal monitor lizard. It is known for its unusual coloration, which consists of shades from green to turquoise, topped with dark, wikt:transverse wikt:dorsal banding....
s, and komodo dragon
Komodo dragon

The Komodo dragon is a species of lizard that inhabits the islands of Komodo , Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang in Indonesia. A member of the monitor lizard family , it is the Largest organisms#Reptiles , growing to an average length of and weighing around ....
s have also been kept in captivity. Like all reptiles that are kept as pets, monitors need hiding places and an appropriate substrate. Monitors also need a large water dish in which they can soak their entire body. In the wild, monitors will eat anything they can overpower, but crickets, superworm
Superworm

Zophobas morio is a species of darkling beetle, whose larvae are known by the common name superworm or zophobas. Superworms are common in the reptile pet industry....
s, and the occasional rodent
Rodent

Rodentia is an Order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing Incisors#The_Rodent_incisor in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
 make up most of the captive monitors' diet. Boiled eggs, silkworms, earthworms, and feeder fish
Feeder fish

Feeder fish is the generic name for certain types of inexpensive fish commonly fed as live prey to captive animals such as sharks and turtles....
 can also be fed to them. However, due to their predatory nature and large size some monitors can be dangerous to keep as pets; adult Nile monitors and water monitors, for example can reach seven feet in length.

Protected status

In Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 States and territories of India of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai . Tamil Nadu lies in the southern most part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by Puducherry , Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh....
 and all other parts of South India, catching or killing of monitor lizards are banned.

Classification

Nile Monitor
Genus Varanus
  • Spiny-tailed goanna
    Spiny-tailed monitor

    The Spiny-tailed Monitor or Ridge-tailed Monitor is a small species of monitor lizard. They are native to Northwestern Australia and live in a variety of habitats from arid to tropical regions....
    , Varanus acanthurus acanthurus
    Spiny-tailed monitor

    The Spiny-tailed Monitor or Ridge-tailed Monitor is a small species of monitor lizard. They are native to Northwestern Australia and live in a variety of habitats from arid to tropical regions....
    • Common Ridge-tailed Monitor, Varanus acanthurus brachyurus
    • Island Ridge-tailed Monitor, Varanus acanthurus insulanicus
  • Rock Monitor, Varanus albigularis
    Varanus albigularis

    The Rock monitor , also called the Legavaan is a species of monitor lizard found in southern Africa. It is the second longest lizard found on the continent of Africa and the heaviest bodied....
    • White-throated Monitor, Varanus albigularis albigularis
      Varanus albigularis albigularis

      The White-throated monitor is a lizard found in southern Africa. They are usually gray-brown with yellowish or white markings and can reach up to 2 meters in length....
    • Angola White-throated Monitor, Varanus albigularis angolensis
      Varanus albigularis angolensis

      The Angolan White-throated monitor is a lizard found in Angola. They are usually gray-brown with yellowish or white markings and can reach up to 1.5 meters in length....
    • Black-throated Monitor, Varanus albigularis ionidesi
      Varanus albigularis ionidesi

      The Black-throated monitor is a monitor lizard native to Tanzania. They are usually a dark gray-brown with yellowish or white markings and can reach up to 1.5 meters in length....
  • Peacock Monitor, Varanus auffenbergi
  • Northern Ridge-tailed Goanna, Varanus baritji
  • Black tree monitor
    Black tree monitor

    The Black tree monitor , or Beccari's monitor is a relatively small member of the Varanidae family, growing up to about 3-4 feet in length....
    , Varanus beccarii
    Black tree monitor

    The Black tree monitor , or Beccari's monitor is a relatively small member of the Varanidae family, growing up to about 3-4 feet in length....
  • Bengal monitor
    Bengal monitor

    Bengal monitor , also known as the Common Indian Monitor, is a monitor lizard found throughout Bangladesh,India and Sri Lanka. It measures up to 75 cm in body length with the tail about 100 cm in length....
    , Varanus bengalensis
    Bengal monitor

    Bengal monitor , also known as the Common Indian Monitor, is a monitor lizard found throughout Bangladesh,India and Sri Lanka. It measures up to 75 cm in body length with the tail about 100 cm in length....
    • Bengal Monitor
      Bengal monitor

      Bengal monitor , also known as the Common Indian Monitor, is a monitor lizard found throughout Bangladesh,India and Sri Lanka. It measures up to 75 cm in body length with the tail about 100 cm in length....
      , Varanus bengalensis bengalensis
    • Clouded Monitor, Varanus bengalensis nebulosus
  • Golden-spotted Tree Monitor, Varanus boehmei
  • Louisiade Tree Monitor, Varanus bogerti
  • Short-tailed monitor
    Short-tailed monitor

    The Short-tailed monitor, or the pygmy goanna, is the smallest living monitor lizard, and may be the smallest species of monitor that has ever existed with a maximum length of 25cm....
    , Varanus brevicauda
    Short-tailed monitor

    The Short-tailed monitor, or the pygmy goanna, is the smallest living monitor lizard, and may be the smallest species of monitor that has ever existed with a maximum length of 25cm....
  • Pilbara Goanna Varanus bushi
  • Turquois Monitor, Varanus caerulivirens
  • Stripe-tailed Goanna, Varanus caudolineatus
  • Ceram Mangrove Monitor, Varanus cerambonensis
  • Cuming's Water Monitor, Varanus cumingi


  • Blue-tailed Monitor, Varanus doreanus
  • Dumeril's Monitor, Varanus dumerilii
  • Desert Pygmy Monitor, Varanus eremius
  • Savannah monitor
    Savannah monitor

    The Savannah Monitor is a large species of monitor lizard native to Africa....
    , Varanus exanthematicus
    Savannah monitor

    The Savannah Monitor is a large species of monitor lizard native to Africa....
  • Finsch's Monitor, Varanus finschi
  • Yellow Monitor
    Yellow Monitor

    Yellow Monitor Varanus flavescens is a species of Monitor lizard....
    , Varanus flavescens
    Yellow Monitor

    Yellow Monitor Varanus flavescens is a species of Monitor lizard....
  • Perentie
    Perentie

    The Perentie is the largest monitor lizard or goanna native to Australia, and fourth largest lizard on earth, after the Komodo Dragon, Varanus salvadorii and the water monitor....
    , Varanus giganteus
    Perentie

    The Perentie is the largest monitor lizard or goanna native to Australia, and fourth largest lizard on earth, after the Komodo Dragon, Varanus salvadorii and the water monitor....
  • Pygmy Mulga Goanna, Varanus gilleni
  • Kimberley Rock Monitor, Varanus glauerti
  • Black-palmed Rock Monitor, Varanus glebopalma
  • Sand goanna
    Sand goanna

    The Sand goanna is a large Australian monitor lizard - also known as Gould's monitor.The name sand monitor can be used to describe many different species....
    , Varanus gouldii
    Sand goanna

    The Sand goanna is a large Australian monitor lizard - also known as Gould's monitor.The name sand monitor can be used to describe many different species....
    • Horn's Monitor, Varanus gouldii horni
    • Yellow-spotted Monitor, Varanus gouldii rubidus
  • Desert Monitor, Varanus griseus
    Varanus griseus

    The Desert Monitor, Varanus griseus, is a species of monitor lizard found in North Africa and western Asia....
    • Western Desert Monitor, Varanus griseus griseus
    • Eastern Desert Monitor, Varanus griseus caspius
    • Thar Desert Monitor, Varanus griseus koniecznyi
  • Mangrove Monitor, Varanus indicus
  • Peach Throat Monitor, Varanus jobiensis
  • Hakoi monitor, Varanus juxtindicus
  • Canopy Goanna, Varanus keithhornei
  • King's Goanna, Varanus kingorum
  • Komodo Dragon
    Komodo dragon

    The Komodo dragon is a species of lizard that inhabits the islands of Komodo , Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang in Indonesia. A member of the monitor lizard family , it is the Largest organisms#Reptiles , growing to an average length of and weighing around ....
    , Varanus komodoensis
    Komodo dragon

    The Komodo dragon is a species of lizard that inhabits the islands of Komodo , Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang in Indonesia. A member of the monitor lizard family , it is the Largest organisms#Reptiles , growing to an average length of and weighing around ....
  • Kordo Tree Monitor, Varanus kordensis
  • Panay Monitor, Varanus mabitang
  • Blue-spotted Tree Monitor, Varanus macraei
  • Marbled Water Monitor, Varanus marmoratus
  • Quince Monitor, Varanus melinus
  • Mertens' Water Monitor, Varanus mertensi
  • Mitchell's Water Monitor, Varanus mitchelli
  • Nile monitor
    Nile monitor

    The Nile monitor is a large member of the monitor lizard family .Nile monitors grow to about 1.5 to 2 meters in length. They have muscular bodies, strong legs and powerful jaws....
    , Varanus niloticus
    Nile monitor

    The Nile monitor is a large member of the monitor lizard family .Nile monitors grow to about 1.5 to 2 meters in length. They have muscular bodies, strong legs and powerful jaws....
  • Spiny-necked Water Monitor, Varanus nuchalis
  • Gray's monitor
    Gray's monitor

    Gray's monitor is a large monitor lizard known only from lowland Dipterocarpaceae Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests in the east of Luzon and a few smaller adjacent islands in the Philippines such as Polillo Island, where it is locally known as the Butaan....
    , Varanus olivaceus
    Gray's monitor

    Gray's monitor is a large monitor lizard known only from lowland Dipterocarpaceae Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests in the east of Luzon and a few smaller adjacent islands in the Philippines such as Polillo Island, where it is locally known as the Butaan....
  • Ornate Monitor, Varanus ornatus
  • Argus monitor
    Argus monitor

    Argus monitors are monitor lizards found in northern regions of Australia and southern New Guinea. It is also commonly known as the Yellow-spotted Monitor....
    , Varanus panoptes panoptes
    Argus monitor

    Argus monitors are monitor lizards found in northern regions of Australia and southern New Guinea. It is also commonly known as the Yellow-spotted Monitor....
     ** Horn's monitor, Varanus panoptes horni
    • Varanus panoptes rubidus
  • Pilbara Rock Monitor, Varanus pilbarensis
  • Emerald Tree Monitor
    Emerald tree monitor

    The emerald tree monitor or the green tree monitor is a small-to-medium-sized arboreal monitor lizard. It is known for its unusual coloration, which consists of shades from green to turquoise, topped with dark, wikt:transverse wikt:dorsal banding....
    , Varanus prasinus
Green
* Blunt-spined Goanna, Varanus primordius
  • Megalania
    Megalania

    Megalania is a giant extinct goanna or monitor lizard. It was part of a Australian megafauna assemblage that inhabited southern Australia during the Pleistocene, and appears to have disappeared around 40,000 years ago....
    , Varanus prisca
    Megalania

    Megalania is a giant extinct goanna or monitor lizard. It was part of a Australian megafauna assemblage that inhabited southern Australia during the Pleistocene, and appears to have disappeared around 40,000 years ago....
     (extinct)
  • Varanus rainerguentheri
  • Reisinger's Tree Monitor, Varanus reisingeri
  • Rosenberg's Goanna or Heath Monitor, Varanus rosenbergi
  • Black Roughneck Monitor, Varanus rudicollis
  • Crocodile Monitor, V. salvadorii
  • Water Monitor
    Water monitor

    The Water monitor, is a large species of monitor lizard capable of growing over 3 meters in length, with the average size of most adults at 2.5 meters long....
    ,     Varanus salvator
    Water monitor

    The Water monitor, is a large species of monitor lizard capable of growing over 3 meters in length, with the average size of most adults at 2.5 meters long....
    • Asian Water Monitor, Varanus salvator salvator
    • Andaman Islands Water Monitor, Varanus salvator andamanensis
    • Two-striped Water Monitor, Varanus salvator bivittatus
    • Black Water Monitor, Varanus salvator komaini
    • Southeast Asian Water Monitor, Varanus salvator macromaculatus
  • Spotted Tree Goanna, Varanus scalaris
  • Mangrove pygmy goanna, Varanus semiremex
  • Spencer's Goanna, Varanus spenceri
  • St. Isabel Mangrove Monitor, Varanus spinulosus
  • Storr's Goanna, Varanus storri
    • Eastern Storr's Goanna, Varanus storri storri
    • Western Storr's Monitor, Varanus storri ocreatus
  • Rossel Island Tree Monitor, Varanus telenesetes
  • Timor Tree Monitor, Varanus timorensis
    Varanus timorensis

    The Timor Monitor or Spotted Tree Monitor is a species of small monitor lizard native to Indonesia, New Guinea and Australia....
  • Togian Water Monitor, Varanus togianus
  • Black-headed Monitor, Varanus tristis
    • Freckled Monitor, Varanus tristis orientalis
  • Lace Monitor, Varanus varius
  • Yemen Monitor, Varanus yemenensis
  • Tri-colored Monitor, Varanus yuwonoi
  • Zug's Monitor, Varanus zugorum


External links