Canopy goanna
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Varanidae
Genus: Varanus
Subgenus: Hapturosaurus
Species:
V. keithhornei
Binomial name
Varanus keithhornei
Synonyms
  • Varanus teriae Sprackland, 1991

Varanus keithhornei, commonly known as the canopy goanna, Keith Horne's monitor, blue-nosed tree monitor,[4] or Nesbit River monitor,[5] is a species of monitor lizards native to northeast Australia. It is a member of the Varanus prasinus species group.[6]

This monitor lizard is found in a restricted area of less than 100 km2 near the Claudie and Nesbit rivers, in the McIlwraith and Iron Ranges of the Cape York Peninsula in northern Queensland.[2][7][8]

Description

The colouration of V. keithhornei is dark black on the upper side. It has moderately big and smooth head scales. Its tail has no visible keel.[6] The canopy goanna is small for a monitor lizard, reaching a total length up to 77 cm,[9] but more robust than other species of the V. prasinus species complex, and can be further distinguished from them by its colour and the conical throat scales.[8]

Specimens were originally assigned to the species Varanus prasinus by Czechura in 1980,[8] but Wells and Wellington declared it a new species 5 years later.

Diet

They forage in the trees and the leaf litter for insects such as orthopterans, roaches, and beetles.[8]

References

  1. ↑ Couper, P.; Hoskin, C.; Amey, A. (2018). "Varanus keithhornei". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T83778172A101752330. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T83778172A101752330.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Varanus keithhornei". Archived from the original on 19 May 2010. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  3. ↑ ITIS.gov
  4. ↑ "Mampam Conservation – Varanus keithhorni". mampam.com. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  5. ↑ "Varanus keithhornei". The Reptile Database.
  6. 1 2 Monitor-lizards.net Archived 19 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ↑ "Support Wildlife – Australia Zoo – Help Us Help Wildlife".
  8. 1 2 3 4 Bennett, Daniel (1 January 1995). A little book of monitor lizards. Viper Press. pp. 128. ISBN 9780952663201.
  9. ↑ "Canopy goanna (Varanus keithhornei) at the Australian Reptile Online Database | AROD.com.au". arod.com.au.

Further reading

  • Photos of Varanus keithhornei at Pbase.com
  • Anonymous 2001. Opinion 1970 – Odatria keithhornei WELLS & WELLINGTON 1985 (Reptilia, Sauria): specific name placed on Official List. Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 58 (1): 74
  • Bleeker, P. 1856. Reis Minahassa 1: 278
  • Cogger,H.G. 2000. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, 6th ed. Ralph Curtis Publishing, Sanibel Island, 808 pp.
  • Czechura, G. V. 1980. The emerald monitor Varanus prasinus (Schlegel): an addition to the Australian mainland herpetofauna. Mem. Qd Mus. 20: 103–109
  • De Lisle, H.F. 1996. Natural History of Monitor Lizards. Krieger, Malabar (Florida)
  • Eidenmüller, B. 2007. Small monitors in the terrarium. Reptilia (GB) (50): 12–19
  • Sprackland, R. G. 1991. Taxonomic review of the Varanus prasinus group with descriptions of two new species. Mem. Queensl. Museum, 3 (3): 561–576.
  • Wells, R. W. and Wellington, C. R. 1985. A classification of the Amphibia and Reptilia of Australia. Australian Journal of Herpetology, Supplementary Series, (1):1–61.
  • Ziegler, T. & W. BÖHME 1998. Comments on the proposed conservation of the specific name Varanus teriae SPRACKLAND, 1991 (Reptilia, Squamata) (Case 3043; see BZN 54: 100–103, 250–251; 55: 37–39). Bull. Zool. Nomenclature 55 (2): 111–113.
  • Ziegler, T., Schmitz, A., Koch, A. & W. Böhme 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
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