| Peach-throated monitor | |
|---|---|
 | |
| In Indonesia | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Anguimorpha |
| Family: | Varanidae |
| Genus: | Varanus |
| Subgenus: | Euprepiosaurus |
| Species: | V. jobiensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Varanus jobiensis | |
| Synonyms [4] | |
The peach-throated monitor (Varanus jobiensis), also known as the Sepik monitor, is a species of monitor lizard native to New Guinea.
Varanus jobiensis belongs to the subgenus Euprepiosaurus , which includes species such as the blue-tailed monitor and mangrove monitor, both of which it is sympatric with in much of its range.
It is likely that this species is actually a species complex of multiple different species that have been diverging since the Pliocene, and diverged from the V. indicus species complex 4.7 million years ago. [5]
The specific name, jobiensis, which is Latin, means "from Jobi". Jobi is the island also known as Yapen, which is the type locality of this species. [4]
The junior synonym, Varanus karlschmidti, was named in honour of American herpetologist Karl Patterson Schmidt. [6]
Peach-throated monitors are endemic to New Guinea and surrounding islands such as Biak, Salawati, Yapen, Normanby, and Waigeo. [5] It occurs in rainforests at altitudes of 0–900 m (0–2,953 ft). [1]
Peach-throated monitors grow up to 120 centimetres (3.9 ft) in total length (including tail). The colour of the throat is white-yellow to red, to which one of its common names refers.
Peach-throated monitors primarily eat insects, and sometimes frogs, [5] but may also take freshwater fish and small mammals. [7]
Peach-throated monitors are hunted for human consumption in New Guinea. [8]
Peach-throated monitors are oviparous. [4]
