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| SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION |
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| COMMON
NAME: |
Malayan water monitor; Asian monitor; two-banded
monitor |
| KINGDOM: |
Animalia |
| PHYLUM: |
Chordata |
| CLASS: |
Reptilia |
| ORDER: |
Squamata |
| FAMILY: |
Varanidae |
| GENUS
SPECIES: |
Varanus (monitor lizard) salvator |
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| DESCRIPTION: |
Large
lizard with black temporal band edged with yellow
that extends back from each eye; neck is very long
with an elongated snout; tail is flat with a dorsal
ridge; dark brown or blackish, with yellow spots
on the underpart; yellow markings on the species
tend to diminish as the individual becomes older |
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| WEIGHT: |
Up
to 25 kg (50-75 lb) |
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| DIET: |
Carrion,
small reptiles and mammals, bird eggs, insects |
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| INCUBATION: |
5-6 months |
| CLUTCH
SIZE |
20-50
eggs |
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| SEXUAL
MATURITY: |
Approximately
2 years |
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| RANGE: |
Southern Asia, from Bengal in the west to the Philippines
and the Indo-Australian islands |
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| HABITAT: |
Semi-aquatic and has a wide range of habitats; river
banks and swamps |
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| POPULATION: |
GLOBAL |
No
data |
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| STATUS: |
IUCN |
No
data |
| CITES |
Appendix
II |
| USFWS |
Not
listed |
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| 1. |
Monitors
have forked tongues, making them the only reptiles
other than snakes to possess this characteristic.
Like snakes, this tongue shape allows for better
accuracy in locating a prey's scent. |
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| 2. |
Monitors practice 'open pursuit' hunting instead
of stalking and ambushing. They are very fast despite
their massive size because of their powerful leg
muscles. When escaping predators, usually large
snakes, water monitors will climb a tree using their
powerful legs. If this technique doesn't work, they
will jump from the branch into the safety of a stream
or river. |
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| 3. |
Monitors are known to use their tail (which may
be twice as long as its body) as a rudder (used
to steer when swimming), for grasping, and as a
weapon. |
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| 4. |
Monitors
swallow their food whole or in large pieces; they
are able to dislocate their thyroid bone in order
to enlarge their throat. |
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| 5. |
Males
are extremely territorial. Upon encountering another
male they will first take a threatening posture
then begin fighting viciously, often leaving severe
bite wounds. |
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| 6. |
These
monitors build their burrows along riverbanks and
will take advantage of termite mounds as well as
rotting logs or stumps to lay their eggs. |
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| 7. |
Malaysian
water monitors can remain under water for up to
30 minutes - which comes in handy when hunting aquatic
prey. |
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| 8. |
These
water monitors are comfortable in both fresh and
saltwater and have been spotted swimming far out
in the ocean. |
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Monitors fill an important niche in their native
regions. They are one of the only large land mammal
carnivores. Of the 31 species of monitors found
throughout the world, 24 of them occur in areas
without terrestrial carnivorous mammals.
These
reptiles are also being negatively affected by
destruction of their natural habitat and to a
lesser degree, their role in the pet trade. Skins
of these lizards are used for dietary protein,
religious ceremonies, medicine, and mostly leather
goods. More than one million skins are traded
each year, mostly in Indonesia. Monitors that
are medium-sized individual are preferred because
the skin of large animals is too tough and thick
to shape.
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|
|
Halliday, Tim R., and Adler, Kraig. The Encyclopedia
of Reptiles and Amphibians. New York: Equinox
Books, 1986. |
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Mattison, Chris. Lizards of the World. New
York: Facts on File, Inc., 1989. |
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Rogner, Manfred. Lizards. Vol. 2. Malabar,
Florida: Krieger Publishing Co., 1994
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| Steel,
Rodney. Living Dragons. Ralph Curtis Books,
London. 1996. |
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| http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/varanus/v._salvator$narrative.html |
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| www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/verts/monitor_lizard.htm |
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