The Yellow Monitor, Golden Monitor,Varanus flavescens, is a species of Monitor lizard found in Asia.
[edit] Description
Varanus flavescens has subcorneal teeth, scarcely compressed. Its snout is short and convex, measuring a little less than the distance from the anterior border of the orbit to the anterior border of the ear; canthus rostralis distinct. Its nostril an oblique slit, a little nearer to the end of the snout than to the orbit. Digits short, the length of the fourth toe, measured from its articulation with the tarsus to the base of the claw, not exceeding the length of the femur. The tail of the Yellow Monitor feebly compressed, keeled above. Scales of head small, subequal; the median series of supraocular scales slightly dilated transversely. Scales on upper surfaces moderate, oval, keeled. Abdominal scales smooth, in 65 to 75 transverse rows. Caudal scales keeled; the caudal keel with a very low, doubly toothed crest. Olive or yellowish brown above, with irregular darker markings which are generally confluent into broad cross bars; a blackish temporal streak; lower surfaces yellowish, with rather indistinct brown cross bars, which are most distinct on the throat. Young dark brown above, with yellow spots confluent into crossbars; lower surface yellow, with dark brown cross bars.[1] From snout to vent 1 foot 3 inches; tail 1 foot 8 inches.
[edit] Distribution
Flood plains of the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.[2]
[edit] References
- World Conservation Monitoring Centre (1996). Varanus flavescens. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 12 May 2006.
- Auffenberg W. Rahman H. Iffat F. Perveen Z. 1989 A STUDY OF VARANUS-FLAVESCENS HARDWICKE AND Gray (SAURIA VARANIDAE). J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 86 (3): 286-307 [1990]
- Visser, G. J. 1985 Notizen zur Brutbiologie des Gelbwarans Varanus (Empagusia) flavescens (HARDWICKE & Gray 1827) im Zoo Rotterdam. Salamandra 21 (2/3): 161-168
- Whitaker, Rom 1981 Bangladesh - Monitors and turtles Hamadryad 6 (3): 7-9
[edit] External links
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