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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

Monitor lizards | Venomous animals

গোসাপ | Warane | Varano | Varanus | Varani | Biawak | Varanus | Varanai | Biawak | Varanen | オオトカゲ | Warany | Varanidae | Вараны | Varaner

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Monitor lizard".

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