Peacock Monitor

Peacock monitor
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Sauropsida
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Lacertilia
Family: Varanidae
Genus: Varanus
Subgenus: V. (Odatria)
Species: V. auffenbergi
Binomial name
Varanus auffenbergi
Sprackland, 1999[1]

The peacock monitor (Varanus auffenbergi), also known as Auffenberg's monitor, is a species of small monitor lizard native to the island of Roti, Indonesia.[2] It belongs to the subgenus Odatria.[2]

Etymology

The generic name Varanus is derived from the Arabic word waral ورل, (alternative spelling waran= "lizard"). The name comes from a common semitic root ouran, waran, or waral, meaning "lizard".[3] The occasional habit of varanids to stand on their two hind legs and to appear to "monitor" their surroundings may have led to this name, as it was Latinized into Varanus. Its specific name auffenbergi honors US herpetologist Walter Auffenberg.

Description

The peacock monitor is one of the smaller monitor lizards, usually reaching a length of 60 cm (23.5 in).[2] It is similar to the Timor monitor (V. timorensis), with some differentiation in the underside coloring and patterns. The coloring patterns fade as these lizards reach adulthood. They have blue-grey ocelli, whereas the Timor monitor has cream-colored ocelli.[4]

Behavior

In the wild, peacock monitors have been seen climbing the trunks of palms and then basking on their crowns.[5] They are calm and shy compared to other monitor lizards. Peacock monitors remain shy even in captivity.[2]

References

  1. "ITIS.gov". Retrieved 10 February 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Reptiliana.wordpress.com". (Retrieved Feb. 10, 2010.)
  3. Robert George Sprackland (1992). Giant lizards. Neptune, NJ: T.F.H. Publications. p. 61. ISBN 0-86622-634-6.
  4. monitor-lizards.net (Retrieved Feb. 10, 2010.)
  5. Del Canto, R. Notes on the occurrence of Varanus auffenbergi on Roti Island. Biawak Quarterly Journal of Varanid Biology and Husbandry, Vol 1 No 1., August 2007

Further reading

Look up Varanus in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Saturday, April 02, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.