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Goannas
Varanus - Merrem, 1820

Pronunciation: vah-RAH-nuss
 Etymology: a Latinisation of the Arabic word, Waran, for lizards of the Arabian Peninsula. These lizards were said to warn of the presence of crocodiles, and became known in English as monitors.1 In Australia, they are typically called goannas.

Taxonomic notes:

Varanus finschi has been reported to occur in Australia, via a publication in German (my German's pretty rusty, so I haven't read it). As far as I can tell, the one specimen was collected a long time ago and the locality information was vague. Until further information becomes available, I'm assuming that the old specimen was mislabelled and I therefore don't recognise that this species occurs in Australia.

Notes:
Statistics: Reproductive modes:
Oviparous - 30 out of 30 Australian species

Size range:
Smallest Australian species: Dampier Peninsula goanna (Varanus sparnus) at 20 cm
 Longest Australian species: perentie (Varanus giganteus) at up to 240 cm
Number of Australian species: 30
 

ridge-tailed monitor (Varanus acanthurus)
Tanami Desert, Northern Territory
Photo © Stewart Macdonald
ridge-tailed monitor (Varanus acanthurus) distribution range map Varanus acanthurus
Ridge-tailed monitor
Year described
Boulenger 1885
Description

black-spotted spiny-tailed monitor (Varanus baritji)
Adelaide River, Northern Territory
Photo © Brendan Schembri
black-spotted spiny-tailed monitor (Varanus baritji) distribution range map Varanus baritji
Black-spotted spiny-tailed monitor
Year described
King & Horner 1987
Description

short-tailed pygmy monitor (Varanus brevicauda)
Tanami Desert, Northern Territory
Photo © Stewart Macdonald
short-tailed pygmy monitor (Varanus brevicauda) distribution range map Varanus brevicauda
Short-tailed pygmy monitor
Year described
Boulenger 1898
Description

Bush's monitor (Varanus bushi)
Newman region, Western Australia
Photo © Jordan Vos
Bush's monitor (Varanus bushi) distribution range map Varanus bushi
Bush's monitor
Year described
Aplin, Fitch & King 2006
Description

stripe-tailed monitor (Varanus caudolineatus)
Cue, Western Australia
Photo © Dean Bradshaw
stripe-tailed monitor (Varanus caudolineatus) distribution range map Varanus caudolineatus
Stripe-tailed monitor
Year described
Boulenger 1885
Description

blue-tailed goanna (Varanus doreanus)
Lockerbie Scrub, Queensland
Photo © Anders Zimny
blue-tailed goanna (Varanus doreanus) distribution range map Varanus doreanus
Blue-tailed goanna
Year described
(Meyer 1874)
Description
Yellow tongue.

pygmy desert monitor (Varanus eremius)
Tanami Desert, Northern Territory
Photo © Stewart Macdonald
pygmy desert monitor (Varanus eremius) distribution range map Varanus eremius
Pygmy desert monitor
Year described
Lucas & Frost 1895
Description

perentie (Varanus giganteus)
Simpson Desert, Queensland
Photo © Stewart Macdonald
perentie (Varanus giganteus) distribution range map Varanus giganteus
Perentie
Year described
(Gray 1845)
Description

pygmy mulga monitor (Varanus gilleni)
Simpson Desert, Queensland
Photo © Stewart Macdonald
pygmy mulga monitor (Varanus gilleni) distribution range map Varanus gilleni
Pygmy mulga monitor
Year described
Lucas & Frost 1895
Description

Kimberley rock monitor (Varanus glauerti)
North Kimberley, Western Australia
Photo © Brendan Schembri
Kimberley rock monitor (Varanus glauerti) distribution range map Varanus glauerti
Kimberley rock monitor
Year described
Mertens 1957
Description

black-palmed monitor (Varanus glebopalma)
Mitchell Plateau, Western Australia
Photo © Henry Cook
black-palmed monitor (Varanus glebopalma) distribution range map Varanus glebopalma
Black-palmed monitor
Year described
Mitchell 1955
Description

sand goanna (Varanus gouldii)
Shark Bay, Western Australia
Photo © Stewart Macdonald
sand goanna (Varanus gouldii) distribution range map Varanus gouldii
Sand goanna
Year described
(Gray 1838)
Description

southern Pilbara rock goanna (Varanus hamersleyensis)
Karijini National Park, Western Australia
Photo © Stewart Macdonald
southern Pilbara rock goanna (Varanus hamersleyensis) distribution range map Varanus hamersleyensis
Southern Pilbara rock goanna
Year described
Maryan, Oliver, Fitch & O'Connell 2014
Description
A small, slender goanna with a long, thin tail that is circular in cross section at its midpoint.2 Midbody scales in 120-122 rows; dorsal and lateral scales are weakly keeled; 4-6 rows of enlarged keeled scales ventrolaterally on each side of and posterior to the vent; scales on top of the head are smooth.2 "dorsal and lateral surfaces of body with subdued irregular dark brown to black spots or vermiculations on a dark reddish-brown background, small ocelli on the dorsal surface of the hindlimbs only, and tail without prominent dark bands."2

mangrove monitor (Varanus indicus)
Captive animal
Captive animal kindly provided by Cool Companions

Photo © Stewart Macdonald
mangrove monitor (Varanus indicus) distribution range map Varanus indicus
Mangrove monitor
Year described
(Daudin 1802)
Description

canopy goanna (Varanus keithhornei)
Iron Range, Queensland
Photo © Mark Sanders
canopy goanna (Varanus keithhornei) distribution range map Varanus keithhornei
Canopy goanna
Year described
(Wells & Wellington 1985)
Description

long-tailed rock monitor (Varanus kingorum)
Timber Creek, Northern territory
Photo © Matt Summerville
long-tailed rock monitor (Varanus kingorum) distribution range map Varanus kingorum
Long-tailed rock monitor
Year described
Storr 1980
Description

Mertens' water monitor (Varanus mertensi)
Western Gulf of Carpentaria, Queensland
Photo © Stewart Macdonald
Mertens' water monitor (Varanus mertensi) distribution range map Varanus mertensi
Mertens' water monitor
Year described
Glauert 1951
Description

Mitchell's water monitor (Varanus mitchelli)
Darwin, Northern Territory
Photo © Stewart Macdonald
Mitchell's water monitor (Varanus mitchelli) distribution range map Varanus mitchelli
Mitchell's water monitor
Year described
Mertens 1958
Description

yellow-spotted monitor (Varanus panoptes)
Cape York Peninsula, Queensland
Photo © Stewart Macdonald
yellow-spotted monitor (Varanus panoptes) distribution range map Varanus panoptes
Yellow-spotted monitor
Year described
Storr 1980
Description

northern Pilbara rock monitor (Varanus pilbarensis)
Burrup Peninsula, Western Australia
Photo © Stephen Zozaya
northern Pilbara rock monitor (Varanus pilbarensis) distribution range map Varanus pilbarensis
Northern Pilbara rock monitor
Year described
Storr 1980
Description
A slender and moderately small goanna, with a long, thin tail that is circular in cross section at its midpoint.2 Midbody scales in 118-128 rows; dorsal and lateral primary scales are weakly keeled; 4-6 rows of enlarged keeled scales ventrolaterally on each side of and posterior to the vent; scales on top of the head are smooth.2 "dorsal and lateral surfaces of body with distinct transverse series of large ocelli on a light reddish-brown background, and tail with prominent alternating light and dark bands."2

emerald monitor (Varanus prasinus)
Captive animal
Photo © Ruchira Somaweera
emerald monitor (Varanus prasinus) distribution range map Varanus prasinus
Emerald monitor
Year described
(Schlegel 1839)
Description

northern ridge-tailed monitor (Varanus primordius)
Adelaide River, Northern Territory
Photo © Brendan Schembri
northern ridge-tailed monitor (Varanus primordius) distribution range map Varanus primordius
Northern ridge-tailed monitor
Year described
Mertens 1942
Description

heath monitor (Varanus rosenbergi)
Kangaroo Island, South Australia
Photo © Matthew Bonnett
heath monitor (Varanus rosenbergi) distribution range map Varanus rosenbergi
Heath monitor
Year described
Mertens 1957
Description

spotted tree monitor (Varanus scalaris)
Kirrama, Queensland
Photo © Stewart Macdonald
spotted tree monitor (Varanus scalaris) distribution range map Varanus scalaris
Spotted tree monitor
Year described
Mertens 1941
Description

rusty monitor (Varanus semiremex)
Hinchinbrook Island, Queensland
Photo © Ray Lloyd
rusty monitor (Varanus semiremex) distribution range map Varanus semiremex
Rusty monitor
Year described
Peters 1869
Description

Dampier Peninsula goanna (Varanus sparnus)
Mt Jowlaenga, Western Australia
Photo © Ryan Ellis
Dampier Peninsula goanna (Varanus sparnus) distribution range map Varanus sparnus
Dampier Peninsula goanna
Year described
Doughty, Kealley, Fitch & Donnellan 2014
Description
Short limbs and elongate body. Short, ridged, prehensile tail that it circular in cross-section. Dorsal colouration is reddish-brown, with small, scattered black spots.

Spencer's monitor (Varanus spenceri)
Muttaburra, Queensland
Photo © Rob Valentic
Spencer's monitor (Varanus spenceri) distribution range map Varanus spenceri
Spencer's monitor
Year described
Lucas & Frost 1903
Description

Storr's monitor (Varanus storri)
Mt Carbine, Queensland
Photo © Stephen Zozaya
Storr's monitor (Varanus storri) distribution range map Varanus storri
Storr's monitor
Year described
Mertens 1966
Description

black-headed monitor (Varanus tristis)
Barakula State Forest, Queensland
Photo © Stewart Macdonald
black-headed monitor (Varanus tristis) distribution range map Varanus tristis
Black-headed monitor
Year described
(Schlegel 1839)
Description

lace monitor (Varanus varius)
Bringalily State Forest, Queensland
Photo © Stewart Macdonald
lace monitor (Varanus varius) distribution range map Varanus varius
Lace monitor
Year described
(White, ex Shaw 1790)
Description

References
  1. Ehmann, Harald (1992). Encyclopedia of Australian animals: Reptiles. Angus and Robertson. 495 pp - search web for this book
  2. Maryan, Brad; Oliver, Paul M.; Fitch, Alison J.; & O'Connell, Morgan (2014). Molecular and morphological assessment of Varanus pilbarensis (Squamata: Varanidae), with a description of a new species from the southern Pilbara, Western Australia. Zootaxa, 3768(2):139-158.
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