Golden-spotted tree monitor

The golden-spotted tree monitor (Varanus boehmei), also known commonly as the golden speckled tree monitor, is a species of monitor lizard in the family Varanidae. The species is endemic to Waigeo Island in Indonesia.

Golden-spotted tree monitor
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Varanidae
Genus:	Varanus
Subgenus:	Hapturosaurus
Species:	V. boehmei
Binomial name
Varanus boehmei Jacobs, 2003
Synonyms[2]
Varanus boehmei Jacobs, 2003 Varanus (Euprepiosaurus) boehmei — Ziegler et al., 2007 Varanus (Hapturosaurus) boehmei — Bucklitsch et al., 2016

Etymology

The specific name, boehmei, is in honor of German herpetologist Wolfgang Böhme.^[3]

Geographic range and habitat

V. boehmei is native to the forests of Waigeo, Indonesia.

Behavior

The golden-spotted tree monitor has a prehensile tail, and it spends most of its life in trees.^[4]

Description

V. boehmei grows to around 1 m (3.3 ft) in total length (including tail).^[4]

Reproduction

V. boehmei is oviparous.^[2]

References

1. Allison, A.; Shea, G.; Tallowin, O. (2016). "Varanus boehmei". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T178267A21646951. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T178267A21646951.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
2. Species Varanus boehmei at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
3. Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Varanus boehmei, p. 30).
4. "Varanus boehmei at Monitor-lizards.net". Archived from the original on 2010-05-19.

Further reading

• Bucklitsch Y, Böhme W, Koch A (2016). "Scale Morphology and Micro-Structure of Monitor Lizards (Squamata: Varanidae: Varanus spp.) and their Allies: Implications for Systematics, Ecology, and Conservation". Zootaxa 4153: 001–192.
• Jacobs HJ (2003). "A further new emerald tree monitor lizard of the Varanus prasinus species group from Waigeo, West Irian (Squamata: Sauria: Varanidae)". Salamandra 39 (2): 65–74. (Varanus boehmei, new species).
• Ziegler T, Schmitz A, Koch A, Böhme W (2007). "A review of the subgenus Euprepiosaurus of Varanus (Squamata: Varanidae): morphological and molecular phylogeny, distribution and zoogeography, with an identification key for the members of the V. indicus and the V. prasinus species groups". Zootaxa 1472: 1–28.