Marbled water monitor

The marbled water monitor (Varanus marmoratus), also known commonly as the Philippine water monitor, is a large species of monitor lizard in the family Varanidae. The species is endemic to the Philippines.

Marbled water monitor
On Mt. Cagua
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Varanidae
Genus:	Varanus
Subgenus:	Soterosaurus
Species:	V. marmoratus
Binomial name
Varanus marmoratus (Wiegmann, 1834)[2]
Synonyms[3]
Hydrosaurus marmoratus Wiegmann, 1834 Monitor bivittatus philippensis Schlegel, 1844 Varanus manilensis Martens, 1876 Varanus salvator marmoratus — Mertens, 1942 Varanus salvator philippinensis Deraniyagala, 1944 Varanus marmoratus — Koch et al., 2007 Varanus (Soterosaurus) marmoratus — Koch et al., 2010

Description

Varanus marmoratus can reach a total length (including tail) of 2 m (6.6 ft).^[2]

Geographic range

The marbled water monitor lizard is found on various islands of the noveleta, including Batanes Islands, Babuyan Islands, northern and central Luzon and Lubang Island.^[4]

Reproduction

Varanus marmoratus is oviparous.^[3]

Taxonomy

The monitor lizard from Palawan, Mindoro, southern Luzon and the Sulu Archipelago was recently described as a new species, Varanus palawanensis.^[3][5]

See also

• Asian water monitor

References

1. Gaulke, M.; Sy, E.; Afuang, L.; Duya, M.R.; Diesmos, M.; Gonzalez, J.C. (2009). "Varanus marmoratus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2009: e.T169844A6681364. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
2. Marmoratus Archived 2010-05-19 at the Wayback Machine, Monitor-lizards.net
3. Species Varanus marmoratus at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
4. Welton LJ, Travers SL, Siler CD, Brown RM (2014). "Integrative taxonomy and phylogeny-based species delimitation of Philippine water monitor lizards (Varanus salvator Complex) with descriptions of two new cryptic species. Zootaxa 3881 (3): 201-227.
5. University of Bonn (2010). "Three new monitor lizards from the Philippines identified". ScienceDaily, 19 May 2010. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100517070208.htm

Further reading

• Deraniyagala PEP (1944). "Four New Races of the Kabaragoya Lizard Varanus salvator ". Spolia Zeylanica 24: 59-62. (Varanus salvator philippinensis, new subspecies).
• Gaulke M (1999). "Die Herpetofauna von Calauit Island (Calamianes-Inseln, Provinz Palawan, Philippinen) (Amphibia et Reptilia)". Faun. Abh. Staatl. Mus. Tierk., Dresden 21 (19): 273-282. (in German).
• Gogorza y González, José (1888). "Datos para la fauna filipina". Anales de la Sociedad Española de Historia Natural (in Spanish). 17: 275.
• Koch A, Auliya M, Schmitz A, Kuch U, Böhme W (2007). "Morphological studies on the systematics of south east Asian water monitors (Varanus salvator Complex): nominotypic populations and taxonomic overview". Mertensiella 16: 109-180.
• Lagat RD (2009). "A taxonomic account of lizards along established trails in Mts. Palay-Palay Mataas-na-gulod protected landscape, Luzon Island, Philippines". Philippine Journal of Systematic Biology 3: 17-28.
• Martens, R (1876). "Philippinische Reptilien". Zoologischer Thiel. Die preussische expedition nach Ost-Asien (in German). Vol. 1. p. 196. (Varanus manilensis, new species).
• Mertens R (1942). "Die Familie der Warane (Varanidae), 3. Teil: Taxonomie ". Abh. Senckenb. naturf. Ges. 466: 235-391. (Varanus salvator marmoratus, p. 254). (in German).
• Reyes MAP, Bennett D, Oliveros C (2008). "The Monitor Lizards of Camiguin Island, Northern Philippines". Biawak 2 (1): 28-36.
• Schlegel H (1837). Abbildungen neuer oder unvollständig bekannter Amphibien, nach der Natur oder dem Leben entworfen. Düsseldorf: Arnz & Company. i-xiv + 141 pp. [1837-1844]. (Monitor bivittatus philippensis, new subspecies). (in German).
• Wiegmann AFA (1834). In: Meyen FJF (1834). "Beiträge zur Zoologie gesammelt auf einer Reise um die Erde. Siebente Abhandlung. Amphibien ". Nova Acta Acad. Caesar. Leop. Carol., Halle 17: 185-268. (Hydrosaurus marmoratus, new species, pp. 196–201, Plate XIV). (in German and Latin).