Monitor lizard

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Monitor lizards are the family Varanidae, a group of 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).

Evolutionary overview

Monitor lizards are considered to be the most highly developed lizards, possessing a relatively rapid metabolism for reptiles, several sensory adaptations that benefit the hunting of live prey, and a lower jaw that may be unhinged to facilitate eating large prey animals. Recent work indicates that the Varanid lizards, including the Komodo dragon, produce venom. These latter two adaptations are shared with snakes, which are thought to have evolved from a sister group to the Varanidae as part of a larger venom clade. However, the venom in monitor lizards accumulates around the base of the teeth, and is not injected through hollows in the teeth as in venomous snakes.

Trivia

The movie monster Varan takes its name from this genus.

Origin of Name

It has been said that the name of monitor lizards is derived from a superstition that the creatures would give a warning about the presence of crocodiles. However, this explanation may be apocryphal. According to [Wildwatch], the name actually resulted from a mishearing of the Arabic word oaran (lizard) as the German warnen (to warn), which was subsequently Latinized into monitor.

Classification

Genus Varanus

• Varanus acanthurus: Spiny-tailed goanna or Ridge-tailed monitor
• * Varanus acanthurus acanthurus or ???
• * Varanus acanthurus brachyurus or ???
• * Varanus acanthurus insulanicus or ???
• Varanus albigularis or White-throated monitor
• * Varanus albigularis albigularis
• * Varanus albigularis angolensis
• * Varanus albigularis ionidesi or Black-throated Monitor
• Varanus auffenbergi Peacock monitor
• Varanus baritji Northern ridge-tailed goanna
• Varanus beccarii Black tree monitor
• Varanus bengalensis Bengal monitor
• Varanus bogerti Louisiade tree monitor
• Varanus brevicauda Short-tailed monitor
• Varanus caerulivirens Blue pin-spot monitor
• Varanus caudolineatus Stripe-tailed goanna
• Varanus cerambonensis Ceram mangrove monitor
• Varanus doreanus Blue-tailed monitor
• Varanus dumerilii Dumeril monitor aka Brown Rough Neck Monitor
• Varanus eremius Desert pygmy monitor
• Varanus exanthematicus: Savannah monitor
• Varanus finschi Finsch's monitor
• Varanus flavescens: Yellow mangrove monitor
• Varanus giganteus: the Perentie
• Varanus gilleni Pygmy mulga goanna
• Varanus glauerti Kimberley rock monitor
• Varanus glebopalma Black-palmed rock monitor
• Varanus gouldii Sand goanna (also Gould's goanna, or Ground goanna)
• Varanus griseus Desert monitor
• Varanus indicus Mangrove monitor
• Varanus jobiensis Peach-throat monitor
• Varanus juxtindicus Hakoi
• Varanus keithhornei Canopy goanna
• Varanus kingorum King's goanna
• Varanus komodoensis: Komodo dragon
• Varanus mabitang Panay monitor
• Varanus macraei Blue tree monitor
• Varanus melinus Quince monitor
• Varanus mertensi: Mertens' water monitor
• Varanus mitchelli Mitchell's water monitor
• Varanus nebulosus Clouded monitor
• Varanus niloticus: Nile monitor
• Varanus olivaceus Gray's monitor, Butaan
• Varanus ornatus Ornate monitor
• Varanus panoptes Argus monitor, Yellow-spotted goanna, Floodplain goanna
• Varanus pilbarensis Pilbara rock monitor
• Varanus prasinus: Emerald tree monitor

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