Family VARANIDAE

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Introduction

A family of lizards in which all 31 living species are placed in a single genus, Varanus. The family ranges from Africa to southern Asia, the Indo-Australian Archipelago, New Guinea and Australia. The 26 Australian species are primarily active diurnal predators, although many also feed on carrion.

Diagnosis

Characterised in Australia by: well-developed pentadactyl limbs; movable eyelids; pupil more or less circular; external ear-opening present; body scales mostly juxtaposed; scales on top of head mostly small and irregular; tongue long, slender and deeply-forked like that of a snake.

General References

Cogger, H.G. 1979. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Sydney : A.H. & A.W. Reed 608 pp.

Mertens, R. 1942. Die Familie der Warane (Varanidae). Dritter Teil: Taxonomie. Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft 466: 235-391

Mertens, R. 1942. Die Familie der Warane (Varanidae). Erster Teil: Allgemeines. Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft 462: 1-116

Mertens, R. 1942. Die Familie der Warane (Varanidae). Zweiter Teil: der Schädel. Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft 465: 117-234

Mertens, R. 1958. Bemerkungen über die Warane Australiens. Senckenbergiana Biologica 39: 229-264

Mertens, R. 1963. Liste der rezenten Amphibien und Reptilien Helodermatidae, Varanidae, Lanthanotidae. Das Tierreich 79: i-x 1-26

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