Within Australia monitor lizards are referred to as goannas (See independent article).

Evolutionary Overview

Monitor lizards come considered to exist as a virtually all extremely developed lizards, possessing a rapid metabolism (for reptiles), several centripetal adaptations that profit the hunting of survive prey, & a lower jaw that can be unhinged to help eating big prey animate being. A latter adaptation reveals a more relatives of the monitor lizards: snakes (Serpentes) are believed to use evolved from either the sister group to the Varanidae.

Origin of Name

It has been said that the title of monitor lizards is from either a superstition that a animals would give the warning all about the presence of crocodiles. Nonetheless, this explanation can be apocryphal. Based on data from [http://www.wildwatch.com/resources/other/monitors.asp Wildwatch], the title actually resulted from either a mishearing of the Arabic word oaran (lizard) as a German warnen (to warn), which was subsequently Latinized into monitor.

Classification

Genus Varanus Varanus acanthurus: Spiny-tailed goanna or Ridge-tailed monitor Varanus albigularis: White-throated monitor Varanus auffenbergi Peacock monitor Varanus baritji Northern ridge-tailed goanna Varanus beccarii Black tree monitor Varanus bengalensis Bengal monitor Varanus bogerti Louisiade tree monitor Varanus brevicauda Short-tailed monitor Varanus caerulivirens Blue pin-spot monitor Varanus caudolineatus Stripe-tailed goanna Varanus cerambonensis Ceram mangrove monitor Varanus doreanus Blue-tailed monitor Varanus dumerilii Rough-necked monitor Varanus eremius Desert pygmy monitor Varanus exanthematicus: Savannah monitor Varanus finschi Finsch's monitor Varanus flavescens: Yellow mangrove monitor Varanus giganteus: a Perentie Varanus gilleni Pygmy mulga goanna Varanus glauerti Kimberley rock monitor Varanus glebopalma Black-palmed rock monitor Varanus gouldii Sand goanna (also Gould's goanna, or even Ground goanna) Varanus griseus Desert monitor Varanus indicus Mangrove monitor Varanus jobiensis Peach-throat monitor Varanus juxtindicus Hakoi Varanus keithhornei Canopy goanna Varanus kingorum King's goanna Varanus komodoensis: Komodo dragon Varanus mabitang Panay monitor Varanus macraei Blue tree monitor Varanus melinus Quince monitor Varanus mertensi: Mertens' water monitor Varanus mitchelli Mitchell's water monitor Varanus nebulosus Clouded monitor Varanus niloticus: Nile monitor Varanus olivaceus Gray's monitor, Butaan Varanus ornatus Ornate monitor Varanus panoptes Argus monitor, Yellow-spotted goanna, Floodplain goanna Varanus pilbarensis Pilbara rock monitor Varanus prasinus: Emerald tree monitor Varanus primordius Blunt-spined goanna Varanus rosenbergi Rosenberg's goanna Varanus rudicollis: Roughneck monitor Varanus salvadorii: Crocodile monitor, Artrelia Varanus salvator: Water monitor Varanus scalaris Spotted tree goanna Varanus semiremex Mangrove pygmy goanna Varanus spenceri Spencer's goanna Varanus spinulosus St. Isabel mangrove monitor Varanus storri Storr's goanna Varanus telenesetes Lia (Biri), Rossel Island tree monitor Varanus timorensis: Timor tree monitor or Timor monitor Varanus tristis Black-headed tree goanna Varanus varius: Lace goanna Varanus yemenensis Yemen monitor Varanus yuwonoi Tricolor monitor

de:Warane eo:varano nl:Varanen pl:Warany pt:Varanidae