Striped-tail monitor

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Striped-tail monitor
Striped-tail monitor (Varanus caudolineatus)

Striped-tail monitor (Varanus caudolineatus)

Systematics
without rank: Toxicofera
without rank: Sneaky (Anguimorpha)
Family : Varanidae
Genre : Monitor lizards ( varanus )
Subgenus : Odatria
Type : Striped-tail monitor
Scientific name
Varanus caudolineatus
Boulenger , 1885

The striped- tail monitor ( Varanus caudolineatus ) is a species of monitor lizard that is native to the forests of Western Australia . The monitor species, up to 30 cm in size, was described by Boulenger in 1885 .

description

Physique, appearance

In the animals up to 30 cm in size, half of the total length consists of the tail . You reach a body weight of 37 g. The striped tail monitor is named after its characteristic striped drawing of the tail. Its upper side is colored gray-brown and decorated with fine spots. In some populations, the base color of the top is also gray-gold. It is one of the smallest monitor species in the world and is also one of the smallest lizards in Australia.

Reproduction

The insectivorous reptiles usually begin their mating activity very quickly after hibernation . The female is pursued by the male, licking violently. The female starts digging an egg-laying pit after about 5 weeks. The clutch usually consists of 2 to 6 eggs . The sex of the young can only be recognized after 6 months due to behavior and growth. The males often grow faster and stronger than the females. The adult males are much stronger and stockier in physique than the females.

behavior

The striped-tail monitor is most active during the hot hours of the day. They are very shy and behave very cautiously towards humans and mostly stay in their hiding place . As they are tree dwellers, in some areas they share their trees with the dwarf prickly tailed skink ( Egernia depressa ). However, they mostly live on the branches and the skink in the hollow tree trunks. Their preferred tree species are acacia and casuarina . They sometimes leave the trees to look for food on the ground. Limbs of the ground-dwelling gecko species Rhynchoedura ornata were found in the stomach of a dissected strip-tailed monitor . Otherwise, Varanus caudolineatus mainly feeds on insects , spiders , scorpions and small lizards .

distribution

They live exclusively in Western Australia , where they occur from the Pilbara region to the southern Gascoyne region . The species was introduced by humans in Esperance ( South Australia ).

literature

  • Boulenger 1885. Catalog of the lizards in the British Museum (Natural History) II iguanas, Xenosauridae, Zonuridae, Stealth, Anniellidae, Helodermatidae, Varanidae, Xantusiidae, Teiidae, Amphisbaenidae, Second Edition, London, vol. 2, p. 1-497 ( full text ).
  • THOMPSON, G. (1993). Daily movement patterns and habitat preferences of Varanus caudolineatus (Reptilia: Varanidae). Wildl. Res. 20: 227-231.
  • PIANKA, ER (1969) .b. Notes on the biology of Varanus caudolineatus and V. gilleni. W.Aus.Nat. 11 (4): 76-82.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Information from the respective art chapter in ER Pianka & DR King (eds.): Varanoid Lizards of the World. Indiana University Press, Bloomington & Indianapolis. ISBN 0253343666
  2. ^ W. Böhme (2003): Checklist of the living monitor lizards of the world (family Varanidae). Zoologische Verhandelingen 341, pp. 3–43 ISBN 9073239869 ( full text ( memento of the original dated June 16, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove it Note. ) @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.cites.org
  3. ↑ http://www.canadiancoldblood.com/caudolineatus.html
  4. ↑ Information on the sex differentiation of the striped tail monitor
  5. ↑ http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~varanus/caudolineatus.html

Web links

Commons : Striped- tail monitor ( Varanus caudolineatus )  - Collection of images, videos and audio files