The Water monitor Varanus salvator is a member of the monitor lizard family.

They are large lizards growing up to 10 feet long. Their body is muscular with a long powerful tail. They have sharp claws and a forked tongue. Water monitors live in most of southern Asia and Asian islands such as Malaysia. They live in tropical forested areas.

Water monitors are very opportunistic in their feeding eating small mammals, birds, fish, insects and carrion.

The species has several geographic races:

• adamanensis: Andaman Islands; Type locality: Port Blair, Andaman Islands.
• bivittatus: Java, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, Ombai (Alor), Wetar and some neighbouring islands within the Sunda arch, Indonesia; Type locality: Java (designated by Mertens 1959).
• cumingi: Mindanao, Philippines; Type locality: Mindanao, Philippines.
• komaini: Thailand. Type locality: Amphoe La-ngu, Satun Prov., Thailand, and Thai-Malaysian bodeer area.
• marmoratus: Islands of Luzon, Palawan, Calamian and Sulu archipelago, Philippines; Type locality: (restricted by Mertens 1942 to) San Mateo near Manila, Philippines.
• nuchalis: Philippines (Cebu, Ticao, Negros, Panay and Masbate, Philippines); Type locality: Philippines.
• salvator: entire range of the species with the exception of the Andaman Islands; Type locality: America (in error); emended to "Ceylon" (= Sri Lanka) by Mertens (1959).
• togianus: Togian Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia; Type locality: "Togian-Inseln (Timotto)" ^*

References

• Bennett, Daniel 1995 The water monitor Varanus salvator Reptilian 3 (8): 15-21
• Das, Indraneil 1988 New evidence of the occurrence of water monitor (Varanus salvator) in Meghalaya J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 86: 253-255
• Deraniyagala, P. E. P. 1944 Four New Races of the Kabaragoya Lizard Varanus salvator. Spolia Zeylanica 24: 59-62
• Pandav, Bivash 1993 A preliminary survey of the water monitor (Varanus salvator) in Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, Orissa Hamadryad 18: 49-51
• Whitaker, Rom 1981 Bangladesh - Monitors and turtles Hamadryad 6 (3): 7-9

External links

• EMBL reptile database
• http://itgmv1.fzk.de/www/itg/uetz/herp/photos/Varanus_salvator.jpg
• http://itgmv1.fzk.de/www/itg/uetz/herp/photos/Varanus_salvator_cumingi.jpg

Monitor lizards | Wildlife of Asia

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