Bluetail Monitor

About the Bluetail Monitor

The blue-tailed monitor, blue-tailed tree monitor or Kalabeck's monitor (Varanus doreanus), is a monitor lizard of the family Varanidae. It belongs to the V. doreanus group of the subgenus Euprepiosaurus. Two subspecies have been described:

V. d. doreanus (Meyer, 1874) V. d. finschi (Bohme, Horn & Zeigler, 1994) The latter has since been elevated to full-species status as Varanus finschi. Once considered a member of the V. indicus species complex, it now forms its own species complex with V. finschi, V. semotus, and V. yuwonoi, having diverged from the V. indicus species complex 5.8 million years ago. The V. doreanus species complex formed at most 4.1 million years ago. V. doreanus is the most basal and widespread member of this species complex.

This species can be found throughout New Guinea, New Britain, the Bismarck Archipelago, Biak, Salawati, and Waigeo. The blue-tailed monitor is also found on mainland Australia on the tip of the Cape York Peninsula. It inhabits rainforest areas, dry streambeds, and riparian zones.

The blue-tailed monitor can reach a total length (including the tail) up to 135 cm (53 in). The maximum size... Wikipedia →