Quince monitor

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Quince monitor
Amneville Varanus melinus 27 08 2010 1.jpg
At Zoo d'Amnéville, France
CITES Appendix II (CITES) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Varanidae
Genus: Varanus
Subgenus: Euprepiosaurus
Species:
V. melinus
Binomial name
Varanus melinus
Böhme & Ziegler, 1997 [3] [4]

The quince monitor (Varanus melinus) is a species of monitor lizards endemic to Indonesia. It is very closely related to the mangrove monitor ( Varanus indicus ), with both belonging to the subgenus Euprepiosaurus. [5]

Contents

Description

Cincinnati Zoo QuinceMonitor CincinnatiZoo.jpg
Cincinnati Zoo

The quince monitor has a bright yellow head, legs, back and tail. There is black reticulation on the lower part of its neck. The tail has alternating bands of yellow and black which get pale toward the last third. Its tongue is light pink in color with little variation. The quince monitor's nostril is situated closer to the tip of its snout than to its eye. This species can reach 80–120 cm (2.6–3.9 ft) in total length. [5] A 20 year old male housed at the Cologne Zoo reached a total length of 129 cm, before suddenly dying of what was likely sepsis caused by an earlier bacterial infection. [6]

This species is very similar in morphology to the mangrove monitor. Baby quince monitors will be darker in color and will gradually get brighter yellow with age.

Distribution

The quince monitor is likely endemic to the Sula Islands in Indonesia, but it reportedly may occur in Banggai. [7] Initially it was reported to originate from the Obi Islands, but this was only an intermediate wildlife trade station. [7] It is threatened by habitat loss and collection for the wildlife trade. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monitor lizard</span> Genus of reptiles

Monitor lizards are lizards in the genus Varanus, the only extant genus in the family Varanidae. They are native to Africa, Asia, and Oceania, and one species is also found in the Americas as an invasive species. About 80 species are recognized.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asian water monitor</span> Species of lizard

The Asian water monitor is a large varanid lizard native to South and Southeast Asia. It is widely considered to be the second-largest lizard species, after the Komodo dragon. It is distributed from eastern and northeastern India and Bangladesh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Sri Lanka, through southern China and Hainan Island in the east to mainland Southeast Asia and the islands of Sumatra, Borneo, Java, Lombok, the Riau Archipelago, Sulawesi. It is one of the most widespread monitor lizards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black tree monitor</span> Species of reptile

The black tree monitor or Beccari's monitor is a species of lizard in the family Varanidae. The species is a relatively small member of the family, growing to about 90–120 cm (35–47 in) in total length. V. beccarii is endemic to the Aru Islands off New Guinea, living in an arboreal habitat. The skin color of adults is completely black, to which one common name refers.

<i>Varanus salvadorii</i> Species of lizard

The crocodile monitor, also known as the Papuan monitor or Salvadori's monitor, is a species of monitor lizard endemic to New Guinea. It is the largest monitor lizard in New Guinea and is one of the longest lizards, verified at up to 255 cm (100 in). Its tail is exceptionally long, with some specimens having been claimed to exceed the length of the Komodo dragon, however less massive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mangrove monitor</span> Species of lizard

The mangrove monitor, mangrove goanna, or Western Pacific monitor lizard is a member of the monitor lizard family with a large distribution from northern Australia and New Guinea to the Moluccas and Solomon Islands. It grows to lengths of 3.5 to 4 ft. It is also known as wbl yb in the Kalam language of Papua New Guinea.

<i>Varanus timorensis</i> Species of lizard

Varanus timorensis, the Timor monitor or spotted tree monitor, is a species of small monitor lizards native to the island of Timor and some adjacent islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spiny-tailed monitor</span> Species of lizard

The spiny-tailed monitor, also known as the Australian spiny-tailed monitor, the ridge-tailed monitor the Ackie dwarf monitor, and colloquially simply ackie monitor, is an Australian species of lizard belonging to the genus of monitor lizards (Varanus).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peach-throated monitor</span> Species of lizard

The peach-throated monitor, also known as the Sepik monitor, is a species of monitor lizard native to New Guinea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-headed water monitor</span> Species of lizard

The yellow-headed water monitor, also commonly known as Cuming's water monitor, the Mindanao water monitor, and the Philippine water monitor, is a large species of monitor lizard in the family Varanidae. The species is endemic to the Philippines. It thrives in mangrove, forest and water margins in tropical refuges, where it feeds on birds, fishes, mammals, and carrion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Sierra Madre forest monitor</span> Species of lizard

The Northern Sierra Madre forest monitor, also known by the local names bitatawa, baritatawa, and butikaw, is a large, arboreal, frugivorous lizard of the genus Varanus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ceram mangrove monitor</span> Species of lizard

The Ceram mangrove monitor is a species of monitor lizards found in Indonesia. Specifically, it is found on some of the central Moluccan Islands including: Ambon, Seram, Obi, Buru, and Banda. On Ambon and probably on New Guinea V. cerambonensis occurs sympatrically with Varanus indicus. It is in the indicus species group of the subgenus Euprepiosaurus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue-tailed monitor</span> Species of lizard

The blue-tailed monitor, blue-tailed tree monitor or Kalabeck's monitor, is a monitor lizard of the family Varanidae. It belongs to the V. doreanus group of the subgenus Euprepiosaurus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dumeril's monitor</span> Species of lizard

Dumeril's monitor is a species of lizard in the family Varanidae. The species is endemic to Southeast Asia.

The Rennell Island monitor is a species of monitor lizards found in the Solomon Islands archipelago. It is also known as the Hakoi monitor. It belongs to the subgenus Euprepiosaurus along with the canopy goanna, the peach-throated monitor, Kalabeck's monitor, and others.

<i>Varanus macraei</i> Species of monitor lizard

Varanus macraei, the blue-spotted tree monitor or blue tree monitor, is a species of monitor lizard found on the island of Batanta in Indonesia. It is named after herpetologist Duncan R. MacRae, founder of the reptile park Rimba on Bali.

Varanus rainerguentheri, also commonly known as Günther's mangrove monitor and Rainer Günther's monitor, is a species of lizard in the family Varanidae. The species is endemic to the Moluccas.

<i>Varanus spinulosus</i> Species of lizard

Varanus spinulosus, the Solomon Island spiny monitor, Isabel monitor, or spiny-neck monitor, is a species of monitor lizard. It is endemic to the Solomon Islands archipelago and is also known from Santa Isabel Island, San Jorge Island and Bourgainville Island.

The Yuwono monitor or tricolor monitor, also commonly known as the black-backed mangrove monitor or the black-backed monitor, is a species of monitor lizard in the blue-tailed monitor species complex. The tricolor monitor is endemic to the island of Halmahera, in the Maluku Islands, Indonesia.

<i>Varanus <span style="font-style:normal;">(</span>Euprepiosaurus<span style="font-style:normal;">)</span></i> Subgenus of monitor lizards

Euprepiosaurus is a subgenus of monitor lizards found in the Malay Archipelago and northern Australia, which includes small to medium sized species.

References

  1. "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  2. Shea, G.; Stubbs, A.; Arida, E. (2021). "Varanus melinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021: e.T83778224A83778231. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  3. GBIF.org Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ITIS.gov
  5. 1 2 Monitor-lizards.de Archived July 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  6. Rauhaus, Anna; Ziegler, Thomas (2020). "A Note on Longevity in the Quince Monitor in a European Zoo and Potential Needs for Maintaining a Sustainable Population Under Human Care". BIAWAK. 14 (1&2): 32–34.
  7. 1 2 3 CITES Proposal: Transfer of Varanus melinus from Appendix II to Appendix I. Prop. 11.43.