| Southern Pilbara rock goanna | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Varanidae |
| Genus: | Varanus |
| Subgenus: | Odatria |
| Species: | V. hamersleyensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Varanus hamersleyensis Maryan, Oliver, Fitch & O'Connell, 2014 [2] | |
The Southern Pilbara rock goanna (Varanus hamersleyensis), also known as the Hamersley Range rock monitor, is a dwarf member of the family Varanidae.
The first description of the species emerged from analysis of rock monitors found in the Pilbara region in the north-west of Australia, published in 2014. [2] The study found distinction in coloration and molecular variation that indicated divergence in the southern group that justified separation from Varanus glauerti as a new species. [3] The holotype is a specimen collected in the Hamersley Range in 2003 and previously assigned to the sister species, this was compared to other specimens and redescribed in the 2014 paper. All known specimens are from favoured habitat in the southern regions of the Pilbara, around the Hamersley range; the specific epithet hamersleyensis refers to this region. [2]
A species of Varanus somewhat resembling V. glauerti, found to north, although darker, with whitish eye-spot markings at the upper surface. The body is a slender and moderately small sized varanid, with a snout to vent length of fewer than 160 millimetres and tail length that may exceed twice this length. [2]
The species is restricted to rocky and steep terrain of the Hamersley Range of Western Australia. [4] [3] They are associated with a variety of vegetation, often eucalyptus trees and clumps of spinifex, on banded ironstone formations with deep gorges and steep cliff-faces. Individual range is restricted by high fidelity to their local habitat type. [2]
The Varanidae are a family of lizards in the superfamily Varanoidea within the Anguimorpha group. The family, a group of carnivorous and frugivorous lizards, includes the living genus Varanus and a number of extinct genera. Varanus includes the Komodo dragon, crocodile monitor, savannah monitor, the goannas of Australia and Southeast Asia, and various other species with a similarly distinctive appearance. Their closest living relatives are the anguid and helodermatid lizards.
Monitor lizards are large lizards in the genus Varanus. 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.
The Asian water monitor is a large varanid lizard native to South and Southeast Asia. It is one of the most common monitor lizards in Asia, ranging from coastal northeast India, Sri Lanka, mainland Southeast Asia to Indonesian islands where it lives close to water. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It was described by Laurenti in 1768 and is among the largest squamates in the world.
The sand goanna is a species of large Australian monitor lizard, also known as Gould's monitor, sand monitor, or racehorse goanna.
The emerald tree monitor or green tree monitor, is a small to medium-sized arboreal monitor lizard. It is known for its unusual coloration, which consists of shades from green to turquoise, topped with dark, transversedorsal banding. This coloration helps camouflage it in its arboreal habitat. Its color also makes the emerald tree monitor highly prized in both the pet trade and zoos alike.
Crenadactylus, the clawless geckos, are named for their distinguishing feature, the absence of terminal claws on the digits. They are the only Australian members of Gekkonidae to lack claws, the endemic genus is also the smallest in size.
The golden-spotted tree monitor, also known commonly as the golden speckled tree monitor, is a species of monitor lizard in the family Varanidae. The species is endemic to Waigeo Island in Indonesia.
The Kimberley rock monitor is a medium-sized species of monitor lizard in the family Varanidae. The species is native to Northern Australia. Also known as Glauert's monitor or the Kakadu sand goanna, it belongs to the subgenus Odatria.
The Pilbara monitor, also known commonly as Bush's monitor, Bush's pygmy monitor, and the Pilbara mulga goanna, is a species of monitor lizard in the family Varanidae. The species is endemic to Australia.
The turquoise monitor is a species of monitor lizards found in Indonesia. Specifically, it is found on Halmahera Island and in the Maluku Islands.
The black-palmed rock monitor is a member of the Varanidae family found in Australia. Also known as the twilight monitor or the long-tailed rock monitor, it is a member of the subgenus Odatria, and is found in the northern part of Australia in the Northern Territory and Western Australia, as well as Queensland. Specifically, its distribution extends from Mount Isa in the east to the Kimberleys in the west. Its habitat is areas of rock escarpment, and large populations may be found in small areas.
The canopy goanna, Keith Horne's monitor, blue-nosed tree monitor, or Nesbit River monitor is a species of monitor lizards native to northeast Australia. It is a member of the Varanus prasinus species group.
Finsch's monitor is a species of monitor lizard in the family Varanidae. The species is found in New Guinea and Australia.
Kings' monitor, also known commonly as Kings' goanna, Kings' rock monitor and pygmy rock monitor, is a small species of monitor lizard in the family Varanidae. The species is native to Australia.
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.
Varanus rainerguentheri, commonly known as Rainer Günther's monitor, is a species of lizard in the family Varanidae. The species is endemic to the Moluccas.
The Dampier Peninsula monitor or Dampier Peninsula goanna, described in 2014, is the smallest known species of monitor lizard, growing up to 16.3 grams with a length of almost 23 cm and a SVL of 116 mm. It is believed to live only on the Dampier Peninsula of the Kimberley region north of Broome and Derby in Western Australia. It is highly active, making it difficult to photograph in the wild. It has short legs, an elongate body, a reddish-brown back with widely scattered black spots and "a ridged, circular and short prehensile tail."
"sparnos is Greek for 'rare' or 'scarce' in reference to this species' isolation and small range on the Dampier Peninsula. Latinised to sparnus, and used as an adjective".
The Pilbara rock monitor is a small member of the family Varanidae endemic to the Chichester Range in North West Australia.
Bogert's monitor is a species of tree-dwelling lizard in the family Varanidae. The species is native to Papua New Guinea.
The subgenus Odatria, sometimes known as the dwarf monitor lizards, consists of small monitor lizards found in Australia and Indonesia. Species in this subgenus include the smallest monitor species in the world, the tiny 16 gram Dampier Peninsula monitor, but also includes some more medium sized species such as the 240 gram black-palmed rock monitor.
