Varanus yuwonoi

Varanus yuwonoi, also known as the black-backed mangrove monitor or tricolor monitor, is a species of monitor lizard in the family Varanidae. It belongs to the V. doreanus species complex.[1][2] It is endemic to the island of Halmahera, in the Maluku Islands, Indonesia.[3]

Black-backed mangrove monitor
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Varanidae
Genus: Varanus
Subgenus:
Varanus (Euprepiosaurus)
Species:
V. yuwonoi
Binomial name
Varanus yuwonoi
Harvey & Barker 1998
Varanus yuwonoi is endemic to the island of Halmahera

Taxonomy

Its specific epithet was named yuwonoi in honor of Frank Bambang Yuwono in 1998.[2]

It is a member of the V. doreanus species complex along with V. doreanus, V. semotus, and V. finschi.[1]

Description

The fully mature size of this species is currently unknown, owing to the great difficulty of observing this species. The largest individual recorded was 1.46 metres long but was not fully grown.[4]

The species is strikingly colourful, with a bright blue tail and a yellow body. The tongue is also yellow, a shared characteristic of all monitors in the V. doreanus species complex.[5] The tail is heavily compressed and the teeth are proportionately very long compared to most monitors, even those which it is closely related to.[4]

Distribution

Varanus yuwonoi is endemic to Halmahera Island, and is primarily found in its inland rainforest, where it is sympatric with V. caerulivirens, V. rainerguentheri, and possibly V. zugorum.[4]

Diet

Varanus yuwonoi is a carnivore. It frequents nest mounds excavated by megapodes, which attracts smaller birds as well as small reptiles and insects that it may take as prey with its unusually long teeth. It may also consume megapode chicks and is reported to also excavate mounds to eat the eggs inside. This suggests that this species is specialized at ambushing birds.[4]

References
  1. Weijola, Valter; Vahtera, Varpu; Lindqvist, Christer; Kraus, Fred (2019-07-23). "A molecular phylogeny for the Pacific monitor lizards (Varanus subgenus Euprepiosaurus) reveals a recent and rapid radiation with high levels of cryptic diversity". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 186 (4): 1053–1066. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz002.
  2. Harvey, Michael B.; Barker, David G. (1998). "A new species of blue-tailed monitor lizard (genus Varanus) from Halmahera Island, Indonesia". Herpetologica. 54 (1): 34–44. JSTOR 3893395.
  3. Varanus yuwonoi at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 2 April 2020.
  4. Weijola, Valter (2010-03-25). "Geographical distribution and habitat use of monitor lizards of the North Moluccas". Biawak. 4: 7–23.
  5. Weijola, Valter; Donnellan, Stephen C.; Lindqvist, Christer (2016-02-23). "A new blue-tailed monitor lizard (Reptilia, Squamata, Varanus) of the Varanus indicus group from Mussau Island, Papua New Guinea". ZooKeys (568): 129–154. doi:10.3897/zookeys.568.6872. PMC 4829673. PMID 27103877.
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