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VARANIDAE - South Indian Herpetofauna VARANIDAE - South Indian Herpetofauna




Monitor lizards are large, carnivorous lizards that are both powerful predators and scavengers. They are unique among all lizards for these traits. This family is distributed in the old world, in continents of Asia (tropical), Africa and Australia. The largest living example of lizards belongs to this family. Another unique feature present only in the monitor lizards is the forked tongue that is very similar to those in snakes. Monitors are inveterate egg stealers and often prey on poultry eggs and unguarded crocodile eggs. Monitors are egg-laying reptiles and deposit the eggs in termite mounds, tree holes and other such sheltered places. The female is not known to guard the nest. One wide-spread species is found in southern India. This species can reach a maximum length of 5 ft and occurs in almost all biotopes, including towns and villages.

Varanus bengalensis (DAUDIN, 1802)



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snakeranglerr 		Latest page update: made by snakeranglerr , Aug 18 2009, 6:33 AM EDT (about this update About This Update snakeranglerr Edited by snakeranglerr

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