Bosc's monitor and savannah monitor
A species of Monitor lizards, Also known as Savannah monitor Scientific name : Varanus exanthematicus Genus : Monitor lizards
Bosc's monitor and savannah monitor, A species of Monitor lizards
Also known as:
Savannah monitor
Scientific name: Varanus exanthematicus
Genus: Monitor lizards
Content
Description General Info
Photo By Daniel Bennett , used under CC-BY-SA-3.0 /Cropped and compressed from original
Description
The savannah monitor (Varanus exanthematicus) is a medium-sized species of monitor lizard native to Africa. The species is known as Bosc's monitor in Europe, since French scientist Louis Bosc first described the species. It belongs to the subgenus Polydaedalus, along with the Nile, the ornate and other monitors.
General Info
Lifespan
20-25 years
Diet
Bosc's monitor and savannah monitor primarily thrives on an insectivorous diet in which arthropods play a significant role. It exhibits a preference for locusts, beetles, and millipedes, supplementing this with small vertebrates when the opportunity arises.
Appearance
Bosc's monitor and savannah monitor is a medium-sized monitor lizard with an elongated body and stout, powerful limbs. Their robust tail is almost double the length of their body. Their skin is rough with round, keeled scales in a pattern of pale yellow to rufous, often with a pattern of distinct dark crossbars on the back and tail. Juveniles have more striking coloration than adults, which are grayish with faint patterning.
Behavior
Bosc's monitor and savannah monitor is a solitary species, noteworthy for its burrowing and basking behaviors. They tend to be diurnally active, hunting insects, small mammals, and eggs. They exhibit strong territoriality, marking their dwellings through scent gland secretions. Their unique, forked tongue is used for chemoreceptive hunting, enhancing their survival in arid biomes.
Photo By Daniel Bennett , used under CC-BY-SA-3.0 /Cropped and compressed from original
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Reptiles Order
Lizards and snakes Family
Monitor lizards Genus
Monitor lizards