Marbled water monitor

The marbled water monitor (Varanus marmoratus), also known commonly as the Philippine water monitor, is a large species of monitor lizard in the family Varanidae. The species is endemic to the Philippines.

Marbled water monitor
On Mt. Cagua
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Anguimorpha
Family:	Varanidae
Genus:	Varanus
Subgenus:	Soterosaurus
Species:	V. marmoratus
Binomial name
Varanus marmoratus (Wiegmann, 1834)[2]
Synonyms[3]
Hydrosaurus marmoratus Wiegmann, 1834 Monitor bivittatus philippensis Schlegel, 1844 Varanus manilensis Martens, 1876 Varanus salvator marmoratus — Mertens, 1942 Varanus salvator philippinensis Deraniyagala, 1944 Varanus marmoratus — Koch et al., 2007 Varanus (Soterosaurus) marmoratus — Koch et al., 2010

Description

Varanus marmoratus can reach a total length (including tail) of 2 m (6.6 ft).^[2]

Geographic range

The marbled water monitor lizard is found on various islands of the noveleta, including Batanes Islands, Babuyan Islands, northern and central Luzon and Lubang Island.^[4]

Reproduction

Varanus marmoratus is oviparous.^[3]

Taxonomy

The monitor lizard from Palawan, Mindoro, southern Luzon and the Sulu Archipelago was recently described as a new species, Varanus palawanensis.^[3][5]

See also

• Asian water monitor