Dumeril's monitor

Dumeril's monitor
Varanus dumerilii in Sofia Zoo
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Lacertilia
Family: Varanidae
Genus: Varanus
Subgenus: V. (Empagusia)
Species: V. dumerilii
Binomial name
Varanus dumerilii
(Schlegel, 1839)[1][2]
Synonyms
  • Monitor dumerilii
    Schlegel, 1839
  • Varanus dumerilii
    Bleeker, 1858[3]

Dumeril's monitor (Varanus dumerilii )[4] is a species of lizard, endemic to Southeast Asia. It is a member of the family Varanidae.

Etymology

The specific name, dumerilii, is a Latinized form of the name of the scientist who first described this species, French herpetologist André Marie Constant Duméril.[5]

Geographic range

Dumeril's monitor is found in southern Burma and north of the Isthmus of Kra to Kanchanaburi Province in Thailand,[6] as well as in Peninsular Malaysia, throughout Borneo, Sumatra, Riau, Bangka–Belitung and other smaller islands of Indonesia.[3]

Their habitat is dense evergreen forests with high humidity [7] and mangrove swamps.[8]

Diet

This monitor is a crab specialist;[6][9] however, it has been observed eating snails, insects, molluscs, fish, frogs, and smaller rodents.[8] Little is known overall about this species compared to other monitor lizards.[10]

Description

Adult Dumeril's monitors are largely dark coffee-brown in colour, with occasional brighter indistinct crossbars. For juveniles the colors and patterns are quite different. "The major color is a dark varnish black which is interrupted by several yellow crossways bars on the back." Juveniles have shiny orange red or, sometimes yellow heads. This youth coloration disappears after only 4–8 weeks.[10] Adult Dumeril's can reach up to 4.5 ft (1.4 m) in total length (including tail) although typical length is 4 ft (1.2 m) long.

Subspecies

There are two described subspecies:

Note: Sprackland made V. d. heteropholis a synonym of V. d. dumerilii[11]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Varanus dumerilii.
  1. "ITIS.gov".
  2. 1 2 "Biolib.cz".
  3. 1 2 Reptile-database.reptarium.cz
  4. EOL.org
  5. Beolens, B.; Watkins, M.; Grayson, M. (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Varanus dumerilii, p. 77).
  6. 1 2 Cota, M.; Chan-ard, T.; Mekchai, S.; Laoteaw, S. (2008). Geographical Distribution, Instinctive Feeding Behavior and Report of Nocturnal Activity of Varanus dumerilii in Thailand. Biawak 2 (4): 152-158.
  7. Lauprasert, K., & K. Thirakupt. (2001). Species Diversity and Proposed Status of Monitor Lizards (Family Varanidae) in Southern Thailand. Natural History Journal of Chulalongkorn University 1 (1): 39-46.
  8. 1 2 "Lincoln Children's Zoo".
  9. Krebs, U. (1979). "Der Dumeril-Waran (Varanus dumerilii), ein spezialisierter Krabbenfresser? ". Salamandra 15 (3): 146-157. (in German).
  10. 1 2 "Monitor-lizards.net".
  11. Sprackland, R.G. (1993) The taxonomic status of the monitor lizard Varanus dumerilii heteropholis BOULENGER 1892 (Reptilia: Varanidae). Sarawak Museum Journal 44 (65): 113-121.

Further reading


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