Water monitor
- For large firefighting devices, see Fire monitor.
- For the Australian species with a similar common name, see Mertens' Water Monitor.
| Water Monitor | |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Sauria/Lacertilia |
| Family: | Varanidae |
| Genus: | Varanus |
| Species: | V. salvator |
| Binomial name | |
| Varanus salvator (Laurenti, 1768) |
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[edit] Description
The Water monitor, (Varanus salvator) is a large species of monitor lizard capable of growing to 3.21 metres (10.5 ft) in length, with the average size of most adults at 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) long.[1] Maximum weight of Varanus salvator can be over 25 kilograms (55 lb), but most are half that size. Their body is muscular with a long, powerful, laterally compressed tail. Water monitors are one of the most common monitor lizards found throughout Asia, and range from Sri Lanka, India, Indochina, the Malay Peninsula and various islands of Indonesia, living in areas close to water.
[edit] Etymology
The generic name Varanus is derived from the Arabic waral (ورل), which translates as "monitor" in English. The specific name is the Latin word for "Saviour" denoting a possible religious connotation.[2] The Water monitor is occasionally confused with the Crocodile monitor (V. salvadorii) because of their similar scientific names.[3]
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.
The origin of this offensive meaning can be traced back to a time when more people lived in rural areas in close proximity to monitor lizards. Traditionally, Thai villagers lived in 2-story houses, the top floor was for living while the ground floor was designed to be a space for domestic animals such as pigs, chickens, and dogs. Water monitors would enter the ground floor and eat or maim the domestic animals, also hence the other name 'ตัวกินไก่' (Tua kin kai - chicken eater).
In Indonesian, water monitor called 'biawak'.
[edit] Subspecies of Varanus salvator
- Asian Water Monitor, Varanus salvator salvator the nominotypic subspecies is now restricted to Sri Lanka where it is known as the Kabaragoya in Sinhala, and Udumbu in Tamil.
- Andaman Islands Water Monitor, Varanus salvator andamanensis: Andaman Islands; Type locality: Port Blair, Andaman Islands.
- Two-striped Water Monitor, Varanus salvator 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).
- Black Water Monitor, Varanus salvator komaini:Thailand. Type locality: Amphoe La-ngu, Satun Prov., Thailand, and Thai-Malaysian border area. This was formerly a subspecies, but now regarded as a synonym of V. s. macromaculatus.[4]
- Southeast Asian Water Monitor, Varanus salvator macromaculatus: Type locality: Siam (Thailand). Mainland Southeast Asia, Singapore, Sumatra, Borneo and smaller associated offshore islands.[4]
[edit] Behavior and diet
Water monitors can be defensive, using their tail, claws, and jaws when fighting. They are excellent swimmers, using the raised fin located on their tails to steer through water. Water Monitors are carnivores, and have a wide range of foods. They are known to eat fish, frogs, rodents, birds, crabs, and snakes.[2] They have also been known to eat turtles, as well as young crocodiles and crocodile eggs[5] Like the Komodo Dragon, they will often eat carrion.[2]
[edit] Conservation
In Hong Kong, it is a protected species under Wild Animals Protection Ordinance Cap 170. In Malaysia, this species is one of the most common wild animals around with numbers comparable to that of the population of macaques there. Although many fall prey to humans via road kill and animal cruelty, it still thrives in most states of Malaysia especially in the shrubs of the east-coast states such as Pahang and Terengganu. Malay "kampung" boys and young working class Malay men often catch and kill water monitors for their own amusement although the widespread population of the species causes the lack of conservation attention. In the east-coast states of Malaysia, this species is very common in roadkill. In Thailand, all monitor lizards are protected species.[6]
[edit] Gallery
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Water monitor
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A water monitor in the Muthurajuwela Marshes in Sri Lanka
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A water monitor
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Asian water monitor (Varanus salvator salvator)
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A water monitor in Penang, Malaysia
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A water monitor in Borneo, Malaysia
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A water monitor in Sundarban, India
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Illustration by Pierre Jacques Smit of water monitors raiding a nest
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[edit] References
- ^ Pianka, King & king. Varanoid lizards of the world. 2004
- ^ a b c Robert George Sprackland (1992). Giant lizards. Neptune, NJ: T.F.H. Publications. ISBN 0-86622-634-6.
- ^ Netherton, John; Badger, David P. (2002). Lizards: A Natural History of Some Uncommon Creatures--Extraordinary Chameleons, Iguanas, Geckos, and More. Stillwater, MN: Voyageur Press. pp. 140–141. ISBN 0-7603-2579-0.
- ^ a b Koch, A., M. Auliya, A. Schmitz, U. Kuch & W. Böhme. (2007). Morphological Studies on the Systematics of South East Asian Water Monitors (Varanus salvator Complex): Nominotypic Populations and Taxonomic Overview. pp. 109-180. In Horn, H.-G., W. Böhme & U. Krebs (eds.), Advances in Monitor Research III. Mertensiella 16, Rheinbach.
- ^ Whitaker, Rom (1981) Bangladesh - Monitors and turtles Hamadryad. 6 (3): 7-9
- ^ "Species Diversity, Distribution and Proposed Status of Monitor Lizards (Family Varanidae) in Southern Thailand". The Natural History Journal of Chulalongkorn University (Chulalongkorn University) 1 (1): 39–46. 2001-08. http://www2.biology.sc.chula.ac.th/web%20of%20NHJCU%20PDF/1-1,%2039-46.pdf. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
- 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
[edit] External links
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- IUCN Red List least concern species
- Monitor lizards
- Reptiles of India
- Reptiles of Bangladesh
- Reptiles of Burma
- Reptiles of Laos
- Reptiles of Vietnam
- Reptiles of Cambodia
- Reptiles of Thailand
- Reptiles of Sri Lanka
- Reptiles of Malaysia
- Reptiles of Brunei
- Reptiles of Indonesia
- Reptiles of the Philippines
- Fauna of Borneo
