Dampier Peninsula monitor

The Dampier Peninsula monitor or Dampier Peninsula goanna (Varanus sparnus), described in 2014, is the smallest known species of monitor lizard, growing up to 16.3 grams with a length of almost 23 cm and a SVL (snout to vent length) of 116 mm. It is believed to live only on the Dampier Peninsula of the Kimberley region north of Broome and Derby in Western Australia. It is highly active, making it difficult to photograph in the wild. It has short legs, an elongate body, a reddish-brown back with widely scattered black spots and "a ridged, circular and short prehensile tail."[1][2]

"sparnos is Greek for 'rare' or 'scarce' in reference to this species' isolation and small range on the Dampier Peninsula. Latinised to sparnus, and used as an adjective".[1]

Dampier Peninsula monitor
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Varanidae
Genus: Varanus
Species:
V. sparnus
Binomial name
Varanus sparnus
Doughty, Kealley, Fitch & Donnellan, 2014[1]

Taxonomy

Described in 2014 and assigned to the genus Varanus, lizards known as monitors and goannas. The specimens were obtained in a location at the Dampier Peninsula in 2009.[3]

Description

The smallest species of extant varanid.[3]

Distribution

Restricted to rocky habitat in the northwest of Western Australia.[3]

Footnotes
  1. Doughty, P.; Kealley, L.; Fitch, A.; Donnellan, S.C. (2014). "A new diminutive species of Varanus from the Dampier Peninsula, western Kimberley region, Western Australia". Records of the Western Australian Museum. 29 (2): 128. doi:10.18195/issn.0312-3162.29(2).2014.128-140.
  2. World's smallest species of goanna found in WA's Kimberley Katrin Long. ABC News 30 December 2014
  3. Ellis, R.J. (2018). "An annotated type catalogue of varanid lizards (Reptilia: Squamata: Varanidae) in the collection of the Western Australian Museum". Records of the Western Australian Museum. 33 (2): 187. doi:10.18195/issn.0312-3162.33(2).2018.187-194.
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References


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