Water monitor

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For large firefighting devices, see Fire monitor.
Water Monitor

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Scleroglossa
Family: Varanidae
Genus: Varanus
Species: V. salvator
Binomial name
Varanus salvator
(Laurenti, 1768)

The Water monitor, Varanus salvator is a member of the monitor lizard family. They are large lizards growing up to 3 meters (9.8 ft) in length, but most adults are 1.5 meters (4.9 ft) long at most, and are close in size to the Komodo Dragon. Maximum weight of Varanus salvator can be over 75 kg, but most are half that size. Their body is muscular with a long powerful tail. Water monitors are perhaps the most common monitor lizards in Asia, and range from Sri Lanka, India, Indochina, the Malay Peninsula and various islands of Indonesia, living in tropical forested areas.

Water monitors are very opportunistic in their feeding, eating small mammals (like rats and monkeys), birds, reptiles, fish, insects, and carrion. Large adults can also attack deer.

Contents

[edit] Species

The species has several geographic races:

  • adamanensis: Andaman Islands; Type locality: Port Blair, Andaman Islands.
  • bivittatus: Java, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, Ombai (Alor), Wetar and some neighbouring islands within the Sunda arch, Indonesia; Type locality: Java (designated by Mertens 1959).
  • cumingi: Mindanao, Philippines; Type locality: Mindanao, Philippines.
  • komaini: Thailand. Type locality: Amphoe La-ngu, Satun Prov., Thailand, and Thai-Malaysian border area.
  • marmoratus: Islands of Luzon, Palawan, Calamian and Sulu archipelago, Philippines; Type locality: (restricted by Mertens 1942 to) San Mateo near Manila, Philippines.
  • nuchalis: Philippines (Cebu, Ticao, Negros, Panay and Masbate, Philippines); Type locality: Philippines.
  • salvator: entire range of the species with the exception of the Andaman Islands; Type locality: America (in error); emended to "Ceylon" (= Sri Lanka) by Mertens (1959).
  • togianus: Togian Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia; Type locality: "Togian-Inseln (Timotto)" [Indonesia]

[edit] Behavior

  • Water monitors are aggressive even though they can be tamed in captivity. They use both their tail and jaw when fighting. They are excellent swimmers, using their raised fin located on their tails to steer through fresh and salt water.
  • They lay 15-30 eggs.

[edit] Conservation

In Hong Kong, it is a protected species under Wild Animals Protection Ordinance Cap 170.

[edit] In Culture

In Thailand, the word water monitor or actually local word 'เหี้ย' (hia) is used as an insulting word for bad and evil things including a bad person. Its name is also considered a word bringing a bad luck, so some people prefer to call them 'ตัวเงินตัวทอง' which means 'silver and gold' in Thai to avoid the jinx.

A water monitor portrayed a Komodo Dragon in the 1990 movie, The Freshman.

[edit] Gallery

Water monitor

A water monitor in the Muthurajuwela Marshes in Sri Lanka

A water monitor

Asian water monitor (Varanus salvator salvator)

[edit] References

  • Bennett, Daniel 1995 The water monitor Varanus salvator Reptilian 3 (8): 15-21
  • Das, Indraneil 1988 New evidence of the occurrence of water monitor (Varanus salvator) in Meghalaya J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 86: 253-255
  • Deraniyagala, P. E. P. 1944 Four New Races of the Kabaragoya Lizard Varanus salvator. Spolia Zeylanica 24: 59-62
  • Pandav, Bivash 1993 A preliminary survey of the water monitor (Varanus salvator) in Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, Orissa Hamadryad 18: 49-51
  • Whitaker, Rom 1981 Bangladesh - Monitors and turtles Hamadryad 6 (3): 7-9

[edit] External links