Emerald Monitor
Varanus prasinus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyVaranidae (Monitor Lizards)
- GenusVaranus (Monitor Lizards)
- SpeciesVaranus prasinus (Emerald Monitor)
About the Emerald Monitor
The emerald tree monitor (Varanus prasinus) or green tree monitor is a small to medium-sized arboreal monitor lizard. It is known for its unusual coloration, which consists of shades from green to turquoise, topped with dark, transverse dorsal banding. This coloration helps camouflage it in its arboreal habitat. Its color also makes the emerald tree monitor highly prized in both the pet trade and zoos alike.
It is known as wbl km in the Kalam language of Papua New Guinea. Varanus prasinus was first described as Monitor viridis by John Edward Gray in 1831; however, Gray's original holotype (RMNH 4812 in the National Natural History Museum in Leiden) was lost and the species was redescribed by Schlegel eight years later as V. prasinus using the found specimen. The generic name Varanus is derived from the Arabic word waral (ورل), which translates to English as "monitor". Its specific name, prasinus, is Latin for the color green.
Varanus prasinus is a member of the subgenus Hapturosaurus and is closely related to several other arboreal species. However, this species may be paraphyletic, as V. bogerti was found to clade inside it. This indicates that V. prasinus... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Raja Ampat
Mangrove Monitor
Varanus indicus
Blue-spotted Tree Monitor
Varanus macraei
Peach-throated Monitor
Varanus jobiensis
Crocodile Monitor
Varanus salvadorii
Bluetail Monitor
Varanus doreanus
Golden-spotted Tree Monitor
Varanus boehmei
Reisinger's Tree Monitor
Varanus reisingeri
Rainer Günther’s Monitor
Varanus rainerguentheri
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raja Ampat | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Emerald Monitor in Raja Ampat?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Emerald Monitor sighting in Raja Ampat, based on 20 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Emerald Monitor in Raja Ampat?
October has the highest sighting rate for Emerald Monitor in Raja Ampat in our monthly data.