Black-palmed rock monitor

Black-palmed rock monitor
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Reptilia
Order:Squamata
Family:Varanidae
Genus:Varanus
Subgenus:Odatria
Species: V. glebopalma
Binomial name
Varanus glebopalma
(Mitchell, 1955) [1][2]

The black-palmed rock monitor (Varanus glebopalma)[3] is a member of the Varanidae family found in Australia. Also known as the twilight monitor or the long-tailed rock monitor,[4] it is a member of the subgenus Odatria,[5] 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.[6] Its habitat is areas of rock escarpment, and large populations may be found in small areas.[7]

Diet

In the wild, black-palmed rock monitors prefer to eat insects, lizards, and other small vertebrates.[8]

Description

The black-palmed rock monitor reaches a total length of just over 100 cm.[9] The coloration of V. glebopalma on the back shows a black ground color with some light brown scales. These form a "reticulated pattern at the sides or small ocelli with a black central spot on top." The top sides of the head and the limbs are black with small, light brown or cream-colored spots which "flow together".[10] Their limbs have larger spots. The scientific name of this species, glebopalma, refers to the shiny black pads found on the undersides of their feet.[11]

References

  1. ↑ JCVI.org
  2. ↑ Kingsnake.com Archived May 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ EOL.org
  4. ↑ Biolib.cz
  5. ↑ Monitor-lizards.de
  6. ↑ Monitor-lizards.de JCVI.org
  7. ↑ Mampam.com
  8. ↑ Losos, J.B. & Greene, H.W. (1988). Ecological and evolutionary implications of diet in monitor lizards. Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 35:379-407.
  9. ↑ Storr G.M. (1980). The monitor lizards (genus Varanus Merrem, 1820) of Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum 8(2) 1980: 237-293.
  10. ↑ Monitor-lizards.net
  11. ↑ Mampam.com

Further reading

  • Photos of Varanus glebopalma at Kingsnake.com
  • of Varanus glebopalma at Pbase.com
  • Photos at Flickr
  • Boulenger, G.A. (1885). Catalogue of lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume 2.
  • Bennet, D.F. (2003). Australian Monitors. Reptilia (GB) (30): 12-19
  • Brandenberg, T. (1983). Monitors in the Indo-Australian Archipelago. 1-121. E.J. Brill, Leide.
  • Cogger,H.G. (2000). Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, 6th ed. Ralph Curtis Publishing, Sanibel Island, 808 pp.
  • De Lisle, H.F. (1996). Natural History of Monitor Lizards. Krieger, Malabar (Florida)
  • De ROOIJ, N. (1915). The reptiles of the Indo-Australian archipelago. E.J. Brill, Leiden.
  • Eidenmüller, B. (2007). Small monitors in the terrarium. Reptilia (GB) (50): 12-19
  • Eidenmüller, B. (2007). Kleinwarane im Terrarium. Reptilia (Münster) 12 (1): 16-23
  • Horn, H. G. & Schürer, U. (1978). Bernerkungen zu Varanus (Odatria) glebopalma Mitchell, 1955 (Reptilia: Sauria: Varanidae). Salamandra 14: 105-116
  • Mertens, R. (1958). Bemerkungen über die Warane Australiens. Senckenberg. Biol. 39: 229-264
  • Mitchell, F. J. (1955). Preliminary account of the Reptilia and Amphibia collected by the National Geographic Society - Commonwealth Government - Smithsonian Institution Expedition to Arnhem Land (April to November, 1948). Rec. S. Aust. Mus. 11: 373-408
  • Storr G.M. (1980). The monitor lizards (genus Varanus Merrem, 1820) of Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum 8(2) 1980: 237-293
  • Swanson, S. (1979). Some rock-dwelling reptiles of the Arnhem Land escarpment. N. Territory Nat. 1: 14-18
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