Yellow-headed water monitor

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Yellow-headed water monitor

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Varanidae
Genus: Varanus
Subgenus: Soterosaurus
Species:
V. cumingi
Binomial name
Varanus cumingi
Martin, 1839
Synonyms[2]
  • Varanus cumingi
    Martin, 1839
  • Varanus salvator cumingi
    — Mertens, 1942
  • Varanus cumingi
    — Koch et al., 2007
  • Varanus (Soterosaurus) cumingi
    — Koch et al., 2010

The yellow-headed water monitor (Varanus cumingi), also

tropical
refuges, where it feeds on birds, fishes, mammals, and carrion.

Taxonomy

V. cumingi was previously recognized as a

water monitor (Varanus salvator), but since 2007 is acknowledged as a species in its own right.[3][4]

Etymology

The specific name, cumingi, is in honor of English conchologist and botanist Hugh Cuming.[5]

Geographic range

V. cumingi is found in the southern Philippines, where it is distributed on Mindanao and a few small nearby islands.[2]

Description

V. cumingi has the highest degree of yellow coloration among all the endemic water monitors in the Philippines. The V. cumingi is a large lizard and medium-sized monitor lizard. The largest specimens its species can reaching a length of 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) with a snout-vent length of 60 cm (24 in) and 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) in a mass.[6][7]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of V. cumingi are mangroves and moist forest, but it is also abundant in artificial habitats such as fish ponds and cultivated lands.[1]

Diet

The diet of V. cumingi is composed of

eggs and carrion.[8]

Subspecies

Two subspecies were formerly recognized: V. c. cumingi occurring on

Bohol, Leyte and Samar. However, the latter has since been elevated to full species status as Varanus samarensis.[9]

Showing yellow head
Darker individual in Frankfurt Zoo

References

  1. ^
    IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2009: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009-2.RLTS.T169897A6687602.en
    . Accessed on 06 May 2022.
  2. ^ a b Species Varanus cumingi at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
  3. ^ Koch A, Auliya M, Schmitz A, Kuch U, Böhme W (2007). "Morphological Studies on the Systematics of South East Asian Water Monitors (Varanus salvator Complex): Nominotypic Populations and Taxonomic Overview". pp. 109–180. In: Horn H-G, Böhme W, Krebs U (editors) (2007). Advances in Monitor Research III. (Mertensiella Series 16). Rheinbach: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Herpetologie und Terrarienkunde.
  4. ^ monitor-lizards.net. "Soterosaurus: Mindanao Water Monitor". Retrieved 20 March 2012.
  5. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5
    . (Varanus cumingi, p. 62).
  6. ISBN 9780253343666
    .
  7. ^ "Visual Identification Guide for the Monitor Lizard Species of the World (Genus Varanus)" (PDF). Bfn.de.
  8. ^ Avilon Zoo, http://www.avilonzoo.com.ph
  9. ^ Species Varanus samarensis at The Reptile Database

Further reading

  • Martin [WCL] (1839). "Remarks on two species of Saurian Reptiles". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1838: 68–70. (Varanus cumingi, new species, pp. 69–70). (in English and Latin).
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