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(Redirected from Varanus)
'Monitor lizards' are the family 'Varanidae', a group of carnivorous lizards which includes the largest living lizard, the Komodo Dragon. 'Varanidae' contains only a single genus: '''Varanus'''.
In Australia, monitor lizards are known as goannas (See main article).
The various species of Varanus cover a vast area, occurring through Africa, the Asian subcontinent from India and Sri Lanka to China, down Southeast Asia to Indonesia, the Philippines, New Guinea, Australia and islands of the Indian Ocean and South China Sea.
Monitor lizards are considered to be the most derived lizards, possessing a relatively high metabolic rate for reptiles and several sensory adaptations that benefit the hunting of live prey. Recent work indicates that the Varanid lizards, including the Komodo dragon, have very weak venom.[1] Some monitor lizards are apparently capable of parthenogenesis.[2] Monitor lizards are carnivorous .
The genus name, "Varanus" is derived from the Arabic word ''waral'' ورل, which is translated to English as "monitor". 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 the original Arabic name.[3] According to legend, these lizards were supposed to warn people that crocodiles were nearby.[4]
Varanid lizards are very intelligent, and some species can even count. Careful studies feeding ''V. albigularis'' at the San Diego Zoo varying numbers of snails showed that they can distinguish numbers up to six.[5][6] ''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.[7] Komodo dragons, ''V. komodoensis,'' at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C., recognize their keepers and seem to have distinct personalities.[8]
Many people consider monitor lizards to be excellent pets. The most commonly kept monitors are the savannah monitor, white throated monitor, and eyed monitor, due to their relatively small size and ease of domestication. Nile monitors, water monitors, and papau monitors have also been kept in captivity. Like all reptiles that are kept as pets, monitors need hiding places, and an appropriate substrate (bedding). Usually, the best substrate is leaf litter. 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, superworms, and the occasional rodent make up most of the captive monitors' diet. Boiled eggs, silkworms, earthworms, and feeder goldfish can also be fed to monitors, along with canned monitor food. Monitor lizards can be thought of as reptillian cats - independent animals with different personalities. Some people have gone so far as to claim that their monitors demonstrated genuine affection. As with most pets, it can be dangerous to keep monitors in some situations, such as around small children. There are many books and care sheets on keeping monitors as pets.
'Genus Varanus'
★ Spiny-tailed goanna, ''Varanus acanthurus acanthurus''
★
★ Common Ridge-tailed Monitor, ''Varanus acanthurus brachyurus''
★
★ Island Ridge-tailed Monitor, ''Varanus acanthurus insulanicus''
★ Rock Monitor, ''Varanus albigularis''
★
★ White-throated Monitor, ''Varanus albigularis albigularis''
★
★ Angola White-throated Monitor, ''Varanus albigularis angolensis''
★
★ Black-throated Monitor, ''Varanus albigularis ionidesi''
★ Peacock Monitor, ''Varanus auffenbergi''
★ Northern Ridge-tailed Goanna, ''Varanus baritji''
★ Black tree monitor, ''Varanus beccarii''
★ Bengal monitor, ''Varanus bengalensis''
★ Golden-spotted Tree Monitor, ''Varanus boehmei''
★ Louisiade Tree Monitor, ''Varanus bogerti''
★ Short-tailed monitor, ''Varanus brevicauda''
★ Pilbara Goanna ''Varanus bushi''
★ Turquois Monitor, ''Varanus caerulivirens''
★ Stripe-tailed Goanna, ''Varanus caudolineatus''
★ Ceram Mangrove Monitor, ''Varanus cerambonensis''
★ Blue-tailed Monitor, ''Varanus doreanus''
★ Dumeril's Monitor, ''Varanus dumerilii''
★ Desert Pygmy Monitor, ''Varanus eremius''
★ Savannah monitor, ''Varanus exanthematicus''
★ Finsch's Monitor, ''Varanus finschi''
★ Yellow Mangrove Monitor, ''Varanus flavescens''
★ Perentie, ''Varanus giganteus''
★ Pygmy Mulga Goanna, ''Varanus gilleni''
★ Kimberley Rock Monitor, ''Varanus glauerti''
★ Black-palmed Rock Monitor, ''Varanus glebopalma''
★ Sand goanna, ''Varanus gouldii''
★
★ Horn's Monitor, ''Varanus gouldii horni''
★
★ Yellow-spotted Monitor, ''Varanus gouldii rubidus''
★ Desert Monitor, ''Varanus griseus''
★
★ 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, ''Varanus juxtindicus''
★ Canopy Goanna, ''Varanus keithhornei''
★ King's Goanna, ''Varanus kingorum''
★ Komodo Dragon, ''Varanus komodoensis''
★ Kordo Tree Monitor, ''Varanus kordensis''
★ Panay Monitor, ''Varanus mabitang''
★ Blue-spotted Tree Monitor, ''Varanus macraei''
★ Quince Monitor, ''Varanus melinus''
★ Mertens' Water Monitor, ''Varanus mertensi''
★ Mitchell's Water Monitor, ''Varanus mitchelli''
★ Clouded Monitor, ''Varanus nebulosus''
★ Nile monitor, ''Varanus niloticus''
★ Gray's monitor, ''Varanus olivaceus''
★ Ornate Monitor, ''Varanus ornatus''
★ Argus monitor, ''Varanus panoptes panoptes''
★
★ ''Varanus panoptes horni''
★
★ ''Varanus panoptes rubidus''
★ Pilbara Rock Monitor, ''Varanus pilbarensis''
★ Emerald Tree Monitor, ''Varanus prasinus''
★ Blunt-spined Goanna, ''Varanus primordius''
★ Megalania, ''Varanus prisca'' (extinct)
★ ''Varanus rainerguentheri
★ Reisinger's Tree Monitor, ''Varanus reisingeri''
★ Rosenberg's Goanna or Heath Monitor, ''Varanus rosenbergi''
★ Black Roughneck Monitor, ''Varanus rudicollis''
★ Crocodile monitor, ''Varanus salvadorii''
.JPG)
★ Water Monitor, ''Varanus salvator''
★
★ Asian Water Monitor, ''Varanus salvator salvator''
★
★ Andaman Islands Water Monitor, ''Varanus salvator andamanensis''
★
★ Two-striped Water Monitor, ''Varanus salvator bivittatus''
★
★ Cuming's Water Monitor, ''Varanus salvator cumingi''
★
★ Black Water Monitor, '' Varanus salvator komaini''
★
★ Marbled Water Monitor, ''Varanus salvator marmoratus''
★
★ Negros Water Monitor, ''Varanus salvator nuchalis''
★
★ Togian Water Monitor, ''Varanus salvator togianus''
★ 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''
★ Black-headed Monitor, ''Varanus tristis''
★
★ Freckled Monitor, ''Varanus tristis orientalis''
★ Lace Monitor, ''Varanus varius''
★ Yemen Monitor, ''Varanus yemenensis''
★ Tri-colored Monitor, ''Varanus yuwonoi''
★ ''Varanus zugorum''
★ The movie monster ''Varan'' takes its name from this genus.
★ In a season 4 episode of Hey Arnold, the character Helga owned a monitor lizard.
★ In My Gym Partner's a Monkey, one of the hall monitors is a monitor lizard
★ A subplot of ''The Freshman'' starring Matthew Broderick and Marlon Brando, features the transport of a Komodo dragon (actually an Asian water monitor, ''V. salvator'') that is to be slaughtered and served at an exclusive dinner club.
1. Fry, B.G; Vidal, N; Norman J.A.; Vonk F.J.; Scheib, H.; Ramjan S.F.R; Kuruppu S.; Fung, K.; Hedges, B.; Richardson M.K.; Hodgson, W.C.; Ignjatovic, V.; Summerhays, R. and Kochva, E. 2006. Early evolution of the venom system in lizards and snakes. ''Nature''. '439', 584-588. Summary
2. Dragon virgin births startle zoo keepers
3. Pianka, E.R.; King, D.R. and King, R.A. 2004. ''Varanoid Lizards of the World''. Indiana University Press.
4. Pianka, Eric R. ''Varinidae'' [1]
5. King, Dennis & Green, Brian. 1999. ''Goannas: The Biology of Varanid Lizards''. University of New South Wales Press. ISBN 0-86840-456-X, p. 43.
6. The Weekend Australian. July 24-25, 1999, p. 12.
7. King, Dennis & Green, Brian. 1999. ''Goannas: The Biology of Varanid Lizards''. University of New South Wales Press. ISBN 0-86840-456-X, p. 43.
8.
★ Scientific American article
'Monitor lizards' are the family 'Varanidae', a group of carnivorous lizards which includes the largest living lizard, the Komodo Dragon. 'Varanidae' contains only a single genus: '''Varanus'''.
In Australia, monitor lizards are known as goannas (See main article).
| Contents |
| Distribution |
| Evolutionary overview |
| Origin of the name |
| Apparent intelligence |
| Monitor Lizards as Pets |
| Classification |
| Trivia |
| References |
| External links |
Distribution
The various species of Varanus cover a vast area, occurring through Africa, the Asian subcontinent from India and Sri Lanka to China, down Southeast Asia to Indonesia, the Philippines, New Guinea, Australia and islands of the Indian Ocean and South China Sea.
Evolutionary overview
Monitor lizards are considered to be the most derived lizards, possessing a relatively high metabolic rate for reptiles and several sensory adaptations that benefit the hunting of live prey. Recent work indicates that the Varanid lizards, including the Komodo dragon, have very weak venom.[1] Some monitor lizards are apparently capable of parthenogenesis.[2] Monitor lizards are carnivorous .
Origin of the name
The genus name, "Varanus" is derived from the Arabic word ''waral'' ورل, which is translated to English as "monitor". 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 the original Arabic name.[3] According to legend, these lizards were supposed to warn people that crocodiles were nearby.[4]
Apparent intelligence
Varanid lizards are very intelligent, and some species can even count. Careful studies feeding ''V. albigularis'' at the San Diego Zoo varying numbers of snails showed that they can distinguish numbers up to six.[5][6] ''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.[7] Komodo dragons, ''V. komodoensis,'' at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C., recognize their keepers and seem to have distinct personalities.[8]
Monitor Lizards as Pets
Many people consider monitor lizards to be excellent pets. The most commonly kept monitors are the savannah monitor, white throated monitor, and eyed monitor, due to their relatively small size and ease of domestication. Nile monitors, water monitors, and papau monitors have also been kept in captivity. Like all reptiles that are kept as pets, monitors need hiding places, and an appropriate substrate (bedding). Usually, the best substrate is leaf litter. 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, superworms, and the occasional rodent make up most of the captive monitors' diet. Boiled eggs, silkworms, earthworms, and feeder goldfish can also be fed to monitors, along with canned monitor food. Monitor lizards can be thought of as reptillian cats - independent animals with different personalities. Some people have gone so far as to claim that their monitors demonstrated genuine affection. As with most pets, it can be dangerous to keep monitors in some situations, such as around small children. There are many books and care sheets on keeping monitors as pets.
Classification
'Genus Varanus'
★ Spiny-tailed goanna, ''Varanus acanthurus acanthurus''
★
★ Common Ridge-tailed Monitor, ''Varanus acanthurus brachyurus''
★
★ Island Ridge-tailed Monitor, ''Varanus acanthurus insulanicus''
★ Rock Monitor, ''Varanus albigularis''
★
★ White-throated Monitor, ''Varanus albigularis albigularis''
★
★ Angola White-throated Monitor, ''Varanus albigularis angolensis''
★
★ Black-throated Monitor, ''Varanus albigularis ionidesi''
★ Peacock Monitor, ''Varanus auffenbergi''
★ Northern Ridge-tailed Goanna, ''Varanus baritji''
★ Black tree monitor, ''Varanus beccarii''
★ Bengal monitor, ''Varanus bengalensis''
★ Golden-spotted Tree Monitor, ''Varanus boehmei''
★ Louisiade Tree Monitor, ''Varanus bogerti''
★ Short-tailed monitor, ''Varanus brevicauda''
★ Pilbara Goanna ''Varanus bushi''
★ Turquois Monitor, ''Varanus caerulivirens''
★ Stripe-tailed Goanna, ''Varanus caudolineatus''
★ Ceram Mangrove Monitor, ''Varanus cerambonensis''
★ Blue-tailed Monitor, ''Varanus doreanus''
★ Dumeril's Monitor, ''Varanus dumerilii''
★ Desert Pygmy Monitor, ''Varanus eremius''
★ Savannah monitor, ''Varanus exanthematicus''
★ Finsch's Monitor, ''Varanus finschi''
★ Yellow Mangrove Monitor, ''Varanus flavescens''
★ Perentie, ''Varanus giganteus''
★ Pygmy Mulga Goanna, ''Varanus gilleni''
★ Kimberley Rock Monitor, ''Varanus glauerti''
★ Black-palmed Rock Monitor, ''Varanus glebopalma''
★ Sand goanna, ''Varanus gouldii''
★
★ Horn's Monitor, ''Varanus gouldii horni''
★
★ Yellow-spotted Monitor, ''Varanus gouldii rubidus''
★ Desert Monitor, ''Varanus griseus''
★
★ 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, ''Varanus juxtindicus''
★ Canopy Goanna, ''Varanus keithhornei''
★ King's Goanna, ''Varanus kingorum''
★ Komodo Dragon, ''Varanus komodoensis''
★ Kordo Tree Monitor, ''Varanus kordensis''
★ Panay Monitor, ''Varanus mabitang''
★ Blue-spotted Tree Monitor, ''Varanus macraei''
★ Quince Monitor, ''Varanus melinus''
★ Mertens' Water Monitor, ''Varanus mertensi''
★ Mitchell's Water Monitor, ''Varanus mitchelli''
★ Clouded Monitor, ''Varanus nebulosus''
★ Nile monitor, ''Varanus niloticus''
★ Gray's monitor, ''Varanus olivaceus''
★ Ornate Monitor, ''Varanus ornatus''
★ Argus monitor, ''Varanus panoptes panoptes''
★
★ ''Varanus panoptes horni''
★
★ ''Varanus panoptes rubidus''
★ Pilbara Rock Monitor, ''Varanus pilbarensis''
★ Emerald Tree Monitor, ''Varanus prasinus''
Emerald tree monitor (also called Green tree monitor) lizard ''Varanus prasinus''
★ Blunt-spined Goanna, ''Varanus primordius''
★ Megalania, ''Varanus prisca'' (extinct)
★ ''Varanus rainerguentheri
★ Reisinger's Tree Monitor, ''Varanus reisingeri''
★ Rosenberg's Goanna or Heath Monitor, ''Varanus rosenbergi''
★ Black Roughneck Monitor, ''Varanus rudicollis''
★ Crocodile monitor, ''Varanus salvadorii''
.JPG)
Asian water monitor (''Varanus salvator salvator'').
★ Water Monitor, ''Varanus salvator''
★
★ Asian Water Monitor, ''Varanus salvator salvator''
★
★ Andaman Islands Water Monitor, ''Varanus salvator andamanensis''
★
★ Two-striped Water Monitor, ''Varanus salvator bivittatus''
★
★ Cuming's Water Monitor, ''Varanus salvator cumingi''
★
★ Black Water Monitor, '' Varanus salvator komaini''
★
★ Marbled Water Monitor, ''Varanus salvator marmoratus''
★
★ Negros Water Monitor, ''Varanus salvator nuchalis''
★
★ Togian Water Monitor, ''Varanus salvator togianus''
★ 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''
★ Black-headed Monitor, ''Varanus tristis''
★
★ Freckled Monitor, ''Varanus tristis orientalis''
★ Lace Monitor, ''Varanus varius''
★ Yemen Monitor, ''Varanus yemenensis''
★ Tri-colored Monitor, ''Varanus yuwonoi''
★ ''Varanus zugorum''
Trivia
★ The movie monster ''Varan'' takes its name from this genus.
★ In a season 4 episode of Hey Arnold, the character Helga owned a monitor lizard.
★ In My Gym Partner's a Monkey, one of the hall monitors is a monitor lizard
★ A subplot of ''The Freshman'' starring Matthew Broderick and Marlon Brando, features the transport of a Komodo dragon (actually an Asian water monitor, ''V. salvator'') that is to be slaughtered and served at an exclusive dinner club.
References
1. Fry, B.G; Vidal, N; Norman J.A.; Vonk F.J.; Scheib, H.; Ramjan S.F.R; Kuruppu S.; Fung, K.; Hedges, B.; Richardson M.K.; Hodgson, W.C.; Ignjatovic, V.; Summerhays, R. and Kochva, E. 2006. Early evolution of the venom system in lizards and snakes. ''Nature''. '439', 584-588. Summary
2. Dragon virgin births startle zoo keepers
3. Pianka, E.R.; King, D.R. and King, R.A. 2004. ''Varanoid Lizards of the World''. Indiana University Press.
4. Pianka, Eric R. ''Varinidae'' [1]
5. King, Dennis & Green, Brian. 1999. ''Goannas: The Biology of Varanid Lizards''. University of New South Wales Press. ISBN 0-86840-456-X, p. 43.
6. The Weekend Australian. July 24-25, 1999, p. 12.
7. King, Dennis & Green, Brian. 1999. ''Goannas: The Biology of Varanid Lizards''. University of New South Wales Press. ISBN 0-86840-456-X, p. 43.
8.
External links
★ Scientific American article
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