Dumeril's monitor

Dumeril's monitor (Varanus dumerilii)^[3] is a member of the Varanidae family found in Southeast Asia. It is found in southern Burma and north of the Isthmus of Kra to Kanchanaburi Province in Thailand.^[4] Varanus dumerilii is also found in peninsular Malaysia, throughout Borneo, Sumatra, Riou and other smaller islands of Indonesia.^[5] Their habitat is dense evergreen forests with high humidity ^[6] and mangrove swamps.^[7] They were more common in the pet trade in the 20th century, but are rarer now.^[8]

Diet

Dumeril's monitors is a crab specialist^[9][10]; however, they will also eat snails, insects, molluscs, fish, frogs, and smaller rodents.^[7] Little is known overall about this species compared to other monitor lizards.^[11]

Description

Adult Dumeril's monitors are largely dark coffee-brown in colour, with occasional brighter indistinct crossways bars. For juveniles the colors and patterns are quite different. "The major color is a dark varnish black which is interrupted by several yellow crossways bars on the back." Juveniles have shiny orange red or, sometimes yellow heads. This youth coloration disappears again after only 4–8 weeks.^[11]

Subspecies

There are two subspecies:

• Varanus dumerilii dumerilii (Schlegel, 1839)
• Varanus dumerilii heteropholis (Boulenger, 1892)^[2]

Note: Sprackland made V. d. heteropholis a synonym of V. d. dumerilii^[12]

References

1. ^ "ITIS.gov". http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=716509. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Biolib.cz". http://www.biolib.cz/en/taxon/id59520/. 
3. ^ EOL.org
4. ^ Cota, M.; Chan-ard, T.; Mekchai, S. & Laoteaw, S. (2008). Geographical Distribution, Instinctive Feeding Behavior and Report of Nocturnal Activity of Varanus dumerilii in Thailand. Biawak 2 (4): 152-158
5. ^ Reptile-database.reptarium.cz
6. ^ Lauprasert, K. & K. Thirakupt. 2001. Species Diversity and Proposed Status of Monitor Lizards (Family Varanidae) in Southern Thailand. Natural History Journal of Chulalongkorn University 1(1): 39-46.
7. ^ ^{a b} "Lincoln Children's Zoo". http://www.lincolnchildrenszoo.org/animals/reptiles/monitor. 
8. ^ Mampam.com
9. ^ Krebs, U. (1979). Der Dumeril-Waran (Varanus dumerilii), ein spezialisierter Krabbenfresser? Salamandra 15 (3):146-157.
10. ^ Cota, M.; Chan-ard, T.; Mekchai, S. & Laoteaw, S. (2008). Geographical Distribution, Instinctive Feeding Behavior and Report of Nocturnal Activity of Varanus dumerilii in Thailand. Biawak 2 (4): 152-158
11. ^ ^{a b} "Monitor-lizards.net". http://www.monitor-lizards.net/species/empagusia/dumerilii.html. 
12. ^ Sprackland, R.G. (1993) The taxonomic status of the monitor lizard Varanus dumerilii heteropholis BOULENGER 1892 (Reptilia: Varanidae). Sarawak Museum Journal 44(65): 113-121.

Further reading

• Photo of Dumeril's Monitor at Whozoo.org
• Amer, Sayed A. M. and Yoshinori Kumazawa. (2008). Timing of a mtDNA gene rearrangement and intercontinental dispersal of varanid lizards. Genes Genet. Syst. 83: 275–280
• Auffenberg, W. (1988). Gray's monitor lizard. University of Florida, Gainesville.
• Ávalos, J. de & Martínez Carrión, P. (1997). Warane Reptilia (Münster) 2 (5): 16-21
• Barbour, T. (1921). Aquatic skinks and arboreal monitors. Copeia 1921 (1):42-44.
• Boulenger, G.A. (1885). Catalogue of lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume 2.
• Brandenberg, T. (1983). Monitors in the Indo-Australian Archipelago. 1-121. E.J. Brill, Leide.
• Coburn, J. (1987). Snakes and lizards. Their care and breeding in captivity, David and Charles, Newton Abbott.
• Cota, M.; Chan-ard, T.; Mekchai, S. & Laoteaw, S. (2008). Geographical Distribution, Instinctive Feeding Behavior and Report of Nocturnal Activity of Varanus dumerilii in Thailand. Biawak 2 (4): 152-158
• Cox, Merel J.; Van Dijk, Peter Paul; Jarujin Nabhitabhata & Thirakhupt,Kumthorn (1998). A Photographic Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Ralph Curtis Publishing, 144 pp.
• Davis, R., Darling, R. & Darlington, A. (1986) Herpet. Rev.17(4):85-86. Ritualised Combat in captive V.dumerilli.
• Davis, R.B. & Phillips, L.G. (1991). Herp. Review 22(1):18-19. A method of sexing Dumeril's monitor, Varanus dumerili.
• Harrison, J.L. & Boo-Liat,L. (1957). Monitors of Malaya. Malay. Nat. J. 12 (1):1-10.
• Horn, H.G. & Schulz, B. (1977). Varanus dumerilii, wie ihn nicht jeder kennt. Das Aquarium 11 (9):37-38.
• Krebs, U. (1979). Der Dumeril-Waran (Varanus dumerilii), ein spezialisierter Krabbenfresser? Salamandra 15 (3):146-157.
• Lekagul, B. (1969). Monitors of Thailand. Conservation News of S.E. Asia. 8:31-32
• Losos, J.B. & Greene,H.W. (1988). Ecological and evolutionary implications of diet in monitor lizards. Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 35:379-407.
• Mertens, R. (1942). Die Familie der Waranae (Varanidae). Abh. Senck. Nat. Gesel. Abh. 462; 465; 466.
• Nutphand, W. NO DATE. The monitors of Thailand. Mitphadung Publishing Office, Bangkok.
• Pitman, C.R.S. (1962). More snake and lizard predators of birds. Bull. British Ornith. Club. 82 (3):45-55.
• Radford, L. & Payne,F.L. (1989). The reproduction and management of Varanus dumerilii. International Zoo Yearbook 28:153-155.
• Raven, H.C. 1946. Predators eating green turtle eggs in the East Indies. Copeia 1946 (1):48.
• De ROOIJ, N. 1915. The reptiles of the Indo-Australian archipelago. E.J. Brill, Leiden.
• Smith, M. (1922). Reptiles and batrachians. Journal of the Federated Malay States 10:269.
• Smith, H.C. (1930). Monitor lizards of Burma. Journal Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 34:367-373.
• Taylor, E.H. (1963). Lizards of Thailand. Univ. Kansas Sci. Bull. 44 (14).
• Sprackland, R. 1976. Notes on Dumeril's monitor lizard Varanus dumerili (Schlegel). Sarawak. Mus. J. 24 (45):287-291.
• Sprackland, R.G. In Press.The taxonomic status of the monitor lizard Varanus dumerilii heteropholis BOULENGER 1892. Sarawak Museum Journal.