Jump to content

Kimberley rock monitor

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.

Kimberley rock monitor
Varanus glauerti male
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Varanidae
Genus: Varanus
Subgenus: Odatria
Species:
V. glauerti
Binomial name
Varanus glauerti
Synonyms[3]
  • Varanus (Odatria) timorensis glauerti
    Mertens, 1957
  • Varanus (Odatria) glauerti
    — Mertens, 1958
  • Varanus glauerti
    Cogger, 1983

The Kimberley rock monitor (Varanus glauerti) is a medium-sized species of monitor lizard[4] in the family Varanidae. The species is native to Northern Australia. Also known commonly as Glauert's monitor and the Kakadu sand goanna,[5] it belongs to the subgenus Odatria.[6]

Etymology

The specific name, glauerti, is in honor of English-born Australian herpetologist Ludwig Glauert.[5]

Geographic range

V. glauerti is found in the extreme northwestern part of the Australian state of Western Australia, and in the northern tip of Northern Territory.[1]

Description

V. glauerti grows up to 80 cm (31 in) long, and three-quarters of its length is the long tail.[citation needed]

Habitat and behaviour

V. glauerti lives almost exclusively on rocky cliff faces, but is also found in humid forests.[1] It is rupicolous, and prefers humid conditions.[1][4]

Diet

V. glauerti preys upon insects such as caterpillars, cockroaches, and orthopterans, and also upon small lizards such as geckos and their eggs.[1]

Reproduction

V. glauerti is oviparous,[1] and sometimes parthenogenetic.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Shea, G. (2018). "Varanus glauerti ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T178028A83777814. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T178028A83777814.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Varanus glauerti ". Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). www.itis.gov
  3. ^ a b Species Varanus glauerti at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
  4. ^ a b "Varanus glauerti " at Monitor-lizards.net Archived 2010-02-23 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ a b Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp.
    ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Varanus glauerti, p. 101).
  6. ^ Kingsnake.com

Further reading

  • Cogger HG (2014). Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, Seventh Edition. Clayton, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. xxx + 1,033 pp. ISBN 978-0643100350.
  • Hörenberg, Thomas (2013). "Parthenogenese bei Varanus glauerti". Draco 13 (53): 29–30. (in German).
  • Mertens R (1957). "Two new goannas from Australia". Western Australian Naturalist 5: 183–185. (Varanus timorensis glauerti, new subspecies).
  • Wilson S, Swan G (2013). A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Fourth Edition. Sydney: New Holland Publishers. 522 pp. ISBN 978-1921517280.