| Yellow (golden) monitor lizard | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Varanidae |
| Genus: | Varanus |
| Subgenus: | Empagusia |
| Species: | V. flavescens |
| Binomial name | |
| Varanus flavescens (Hardwicke & Gray, 1827) | |
The yellow monitor (Varanus flavescens) or golden monitor is a monitor lizard native to South Asia. [1]
The yellow monitor is a medium-sized monitor, measuring between 45 and 95 cm (18 and 37 in) including the tail and weighing up to 1.45 kg (3.2 lb). [2] It has subcorneal teeth, scarcely compressed. Its snout is short and convex, measuring a little less than the distance from the anterior border of the orbit to the anterior border of the ear; canthus rostralis distinct. Its nostril is an oblique slit, a little nearer to the end of the snout than to the orbit. The digits are short with the length of the fourth toe, measured from its articulation with the tarsus to the base of the claw, not exceeding the length of the femur. The tail of the yellow monitor is feebly compressed and keeled above. The head scales are small and subequal; the median series of supraocular scales slightly dilated transversely. The scales on upper surfaces are moderate, oval and keeled. Abdominal scales are smooth and in 65 to 75 transverse rows. Caudal scales are keeled; the caudal keel with a very low, doubly toothed crest. Adults are olive or yellowish brown above, with irregular darker markings which are generally confluent into broad cross bars; a blackish temporal streak; lower surfaces yellowish, with rather indistinct brown cross bars, which are most distinct on the throat. Young individuals are dark brown above, with yellow spots confluent into crossbars; lower surfaces yellow, with dark brown cross bars. [3]
Each tooth position has only a single replacement teeth in waiting at any given time. [4]
The yellow monitor occurs in the flood plains of the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. [1] It inhabits wet areas, on the edges of forest and near human settlements and agricultural land. Due to its short hind toes, it is not efficient at climbing trees. [2]
The yellow monitors thermoregulates by moving between sunny and shady areas, similar to other diurnal lizards. There is also one report of a yellow monitor lying on a pile of hot ash left by a human-lit fire, seemingly to gain heat from it. [5]
It may be capable of play behaviour. A yellow monitor in a wetland was observed alternating between swimming in a vertical position and floating motionlessly. [6]
Direct killing is the major threat to the yellow monitor. Lack of knowledge about the species among local people is the cause of most of the killing, most of the killing is related to use and trade of the skin. Creation of protected areas is insufficient for the species as most of its potential habitat lies outside the protected areas, and it is often found close to human settlement; this increases the threat to the species. [7] In Nepal, its skin has been offered for sale in wildlife markets. [7]
The yellow monitor is protected in all range countries except Pakistan, Nepal, India, Bhutan and Bangladesh. [1] The actual population or population trends are unknown. However, the yellow monitor has low population density even in its preferred habitat. Limited studies suggest that the species is decreasing, however more studies are required to confirm actual trend of the species. [2] [7]
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.
The Nile monitor is a large member of the monitor family (Varanidae) found throughout most of Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in drier regions, and along the Nile River and its tributaries in East Africa. Additionally, there are modern, invasive populations in North America. The population found in West African forests and savannahs is sometimes recognized as a separate species, the West African Nile monitor. While it is dwarfed by its larger relatives, such as the Komodo dragon, the Asian water monitor or the crocodile monitor, it is still one of the largest lizards in the world, reaching Australia’s perentie in size. Other common names include the African small-grain lizard, as well as iguana and various forms derived from it, such as guana, water leguaan or river leguaan.
The Bengal monitor, also called the Indian monitor, is a species of monitor lizard distributed widely in the Indian subcontinent, as well as parts of Southeast Asia and West Asia.
Ptyas korros, commonly known as the Chinese rat snake or Indo-Chinese rat snake, is a species of colubrid snake endemic to Southeast Asia.
The desert monitor is a species of monitor lizard of the order Squamata found living throughout North Africa and Central and South Asia. The desert monitor is carnivorous, feeding on a wide range of vertebrates and invertebrates.
The red-crowned roofed turtle or Bengal roof turtle is a species of freshwater turtle endemic to South Asia. It was the type species of its former genus Kachuga. Females can grow to a shell length of 56 cm (22 in) and weigh 25 kilograms (55 lb), but males are considerably smaller. The turtles like to bask in the sun on land. In the breeding season, the heads and necks of male turtles exhibit bright red, yellow and blue coloration. The females excavate nests in which they lay clutches of up to thirty eggs.
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.
The savannah monitor is a medium-sized species of monitor lizard native to Africa. The species is known as Bosc's monitor in Europe, since French scientist Louis Bosc first described the species. It belongs to the subgenus Polydaedalus.
The yellow-spotted monitor, also known as the Argus monitor, is a monitor lizard found in northern and western regions of Australia and southern New Guinea.
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).
Wildlife diversity is a notable feature of Nepal. Because of the variance in climate, from tropical to arctic, Nepal has a large variety of plants and animals. Wildlife tourism is a major source of tourism in the country. There are some animal species which are unique to Nepal, such as the spiny babbler. Nepal is also host to many rhododendron species. Nepal has numerous national parks and reserves to protect its diverse fauna. Nepal is a biodiversity hot spot with ecoregions broadly comprising the mountainous ecoregion, the savanna and grasslands ecoregion of the terai (foothills), and the Rara Lake ecoregion.
Craugastor catalinae is a species of frogs in the family Craugastoridae. It is found in the Río Cotón drainage in the Pacific southwestern Costa Rica and on the Pacific slopes of Volcán Barú, western Panama. The specific name catalinae, rather obliquely, honors Karen R. Lips: Spanish name "Catalina" corresponds to Danish name "Karen". Lips collected a part of the type series and has "contributed substantially to our knowledge of the Río Cotón drainage herpetofauna and the declining amphibian populations problem in lower Central America."
The rock monitor is a species of monitor lizard in the family Varanidae. The species is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa, where, on average it is the largest lizard found on the continent. It is called leguaan or likkewaan in some areas.
The Panay monitor is an endangered monitor lizard native to Panay Island in the Philippines. Unlike most monitors, it is a specialized frugivore.
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 Lampi Island Marine National Park is a marine national park in Myanmar covering 79.09 sq mi (204.8 km2). It was established in 1996. It encompasses Lanbi Island and several smaller islands in the Mergui Archipelago, comprising coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves, sand dunes and tropical evergreen forest up to an elevation of 1,493 ft (455 m). The national park is an Important Bird Area and one of the ASEAN Heritage Parks. The characteristics of the Marine National Park are the tropical evergreen rainforest, the vast coral reef systems that protect a wide range of aquatic ecosystems, and significant biodiversity in this area. Access is restricted to daytime visits.
Parsigecko is a monotypic genus of lizards in the family Gekkonidae. It contains one species, Parsigecko ziaiei, known as Ziaie's Pars-gecko. It is found in southern Iran.
Char Kukri-Mukri Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary in southern Charfession Upazila of Bangladesh, located on Char Kukri Mukri island in the Bay of Bengal. The area of the sanctuary is 40 ha, and is elongated in shape. It is 130 km from Barisal town in the gangetic delta on the mouth of Meghna river. It is also called Charfasson wildlife sanctuary. Most part of the sanctuary is submerged twice in a day due to high tide and is covered with dense mangrove vegetation. The soil type is clay.
