| Black-throated monitor | |
|---|---|
| Black-throated monitor | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Sauropsida |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Scleroglossa |
| Family: | Varanidae |
| Genus: | Varanus |
| Species: | V. albigularis |
| Subspecies: | V. albigularis ionidesi |
| Binomial name | |
| Varanus albigularis ionidesi |
|
The black-throated monitor (Varanus albigularis ionidesi) is a monitor lizard native to Tanzania. They are usually a dark gray-brown with yellowish or white markings, and can reach up to seven feet (2.1m) long and weigh more than sixty pounds. It is the largest of the four subspecies of Varanus albigularis.
The generic name Varanus is derived from the Arabic word waral ورل, which is translated to English as "monitor". Their specific name comes from a compound of two Latin words: albus meaning "white" and gula meaning "throat". Their main diet in captivity is whole prey, such as mice, rats, snakes, lizards, freshwater mollusks, small birds, large roaches, crustacians, fish, and eggs. Though these animals commonly accept cat and dog food, it is not acceptable as a staple diet due to an improper nutrient profile and high caloric content. In the wild, these monitors will eat anything they can catch. When kept captive, these animals tend to be less defensive than other species, such as the Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus).