Monitor lizard
Monitor lizards, the genus Varanus, are also known as biawak or goannas. They are members of the family Varanidae. Their closest living relatives are the anguid and Heloderma lizards.
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| Varanus albigularis | |
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| Genus: | Varanus
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Varanus is a genus of largely carnivorous lizards. There are about 60 species in 10 subgenera. The species cover a vast area, occurring through Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, to China, down Southeast Asia to Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines, New Guinea, Australia and islands of the Indian Ocean, and the South China Sea. A large concentration of monitor lizards occurs on Tioman Island in the Malaysian state of Pahang. Some are now found in South Florida, particularly in the Everglades.
Monitor lizards have long necks, powerful tails and claws, and well-developed limbs. The species include the largest living lizard, the Komodo dragon, and the crocodile monitor.
Most species are terrestrial, but arboreal and semi-aquatic monitors are also known. International trade in five species is banned, and all the others are threatened species.[1]
Species
Subgenus Empagusia:
Monitor Lizard Media
- Varanoid skulls.png
Skulls of various varanoids
- Monitor lizard at Kaziranga National Park.jpg
A Bengal monitor eating a bird egg in Kaziranga National Park
- Dada Panchal with monitor lizard 6 x 4.JPG
Injured Bengal monitor being nursed at the Lok Biradari Prakalp in India
- Road kill lizard. India - Flickr - gailhampshire.jpg
A dead monitor in India, with its hemipenes removed. Monitor hemipenes are often trafficked and illegally sold.
- Varanus priscus Melbourne Museum.jpg
The giant extinct megalania (Varanus priscus)
- Iguana and Indian monitor lizard.jpg
Bengal monitor (V. bengalensis) with green iguana (Iguana iguana)
- Dumeril's Monitor Lizard (Varanus dumerilii) (Photo by Xavier MALLERET) (24237560651).jpg
Dumeril's monitor (V. dumerilii)
- Clouded monitor 2.1.jpg
Clouded monitor (V. nebulosus)
- Varanidae - Varanus doreanus.JPG
Blue-tailed monitor (V. doreanus)
Related pages
References
- ↑ "Identification guides for wildlife traded in Southeast Asia". ASEAN-WEN. 2008. Archived from the original on 2016-04-12. Retrieved 2015-12-11.