White-throated monitor

White-throated monitor lizard
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Reptilia
Order:Squamata
Family:Varanidae
Genus:Varanus
Species: V. albigularis
Subspecies: V. a. albigularis
Trinomial name
Varanus albigularis albigularis
Daudin, 1802[1]

The white-throated monitor (Varanus albigularis albigularis) is a lizard found in southern Africa. They are usually gray-brown with yellowish or white markings, and can reach up to 2 m in length. They are found in Southern Africa, northwards to Angola, Zambia, and Mozambique.

Taxonomy

First described by François Marie Daudin in 1802,[1] these lizards were previously classed as a subspecies of Varanus exanthematicus, but have since been declared a distinct species based upon differences in hemipenal morphology.[2] 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".

As a pet

This subspecies is kept as a pet.

References

  1. 1 2 Daudin, F. M. (1802). Histoire Naturelle, génerale et particulièredes reptiles, ouvrage faisant suite, a l'histoiure naturelle, générale et particulière composée par LECLERC DE BUFFON, et redigée par C. S. SONNINI, vol. 3. F. Dufart, Paris.
  2. ↑ Bohme, W. (1991). New finding on the hemipenal morphology of monitor lizards and their systematic implications. Mertensiella, 2, 42-49.


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