Bengal Monitor
Bengal Monitor Lizard
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Family: Varanidae Genus: Varanus Species: V. bengalensis
Binomial name
Varanus bengalensis (Daudin, 1802)

Bengal monitor (Varanus bengalensis), also known as the Common Indian Monitor, is a monitor lizard found throughout Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. It measures up to 75 cm in body length with the tail about 100 cm in length. It feeds on small terrestrial vertebrates, ground birds and their eggs, arthropods and fish. Image File history File links Varanus_benghalensis. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ... Phyla Subkingdom Parazoa Porifera (sponges) Subkingdom Agnotozoa Placozoa Orthonectida Rhombozoa Subkingdom Metazoa Radiata Cnidaria Ctenophora - Comb jellies Bilateria Protostomia Acoelomorpha Platyhelminthes - Flatworms Nemertina - Ribbon worms Gastrotricha Gnathostomulida - Jawed worms Micrognathozoa Rotifera - Rotifers Acanthocephala Priapulida Kinorhyncha Loricifera Entoprocta Nematoda - Roundworms Nematomorpha - Horsehair worms Cycliophora Mollusca - Mollusks Sipuncula - Peanut worms Annelida - Segmented... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicates Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Orders  Crocodilia - Crocodilians scary crocodiles. ... Suborders Lacertilia- Lizards Serpentes - Snakes Amphisbaenia - Worm lizards This article is about the Squamata order of reptiles. ... Species Many, see text. ... Species Many, see text. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... François Marie Daudin (March 25, 1774 - 1804) was a French zoologist. ... Species Many, see text. ... Classes and Clades See below Male and female Superb Fairy-wren Vertebrates are members of the subphylum Vertebrata (within the phylum Chordata), specifically, those chordates with backbones or spinal columns. ... “Aves” redirects here. ... In most birds and reptiles, an egg (Latin ovum) is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum. ... Subphyla and Classes Subphylum Trilobitomorpha Trilobita - trilobites (extinct) Subphylum Chelicerata Arachnida - spiders,scorpions, etc. ... A giant grouper at the Georgia Aquarium Fish are aquatic vertebrates that are typically cold-blooded; covered with scales, and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins. ...

Although not uncommon, Monitor lizards are killed for their meat and skins and are threatened in many places by hunting.

The lizard is known as Guishaap or Goshaap in West Bengal and Bangladesh, and as ghorpad in Maharashtra . The lizards have strong claws and in some parts of India this has led to the myth that they can cling strongly to surfaces. A popular legend in Maharashtra states that Shivaji's general Tanaji Malusare used a monitor with ropes attached for climbing the walls of the Sinhagad fort in the Battle of Sinhagad.^[1] West Bengal   (Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, Poshchimbôŋgo) is a state in eastern India. ... Maharashtra   (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र , English: , IPA: ) is Indias third largest state in terms of area and second largest in terms of population after Uttar Pradesh. ... Maharashtra   (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र , English: , IPA: ) is Indias third largest state in terms of area and second largest in terms of population after Uttar Pradesh. ... Shivaji Bhonsle, also known as Chatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhonsle (Marathi: छत्रपती शिवाजी राजे भोसले) was the founder of Maratha empire in western India in 1674. ... Tanaji Malusare, also known as Sinha (the Lion), was a renowned warrior and military leader in the army of Shivaji, a maharaja of Maharashtra in 17th century India. ... Sinhagad: Sinhagad @ sunrise Sinhagad: View from atop Sinhagad Sinhagad: View from the Pune Darwaja Sinhagad (Lion Fort in Marathi) is a fort located near the city of Pune, India, situated on a hill which rises 800 metres above the surrounding countryside. ... Battle of Sinhagad was a night battle that took place on February 4, 1670 in the fort of Sinhhagad,near the city of Pune, Maharashtra, India between the Maratha narvir Tanaji and the Udaybhan of Mughal. ...

Identification

Head of asian Varanus species

Key to South Asian Varanus species from Boulenger, Fauna of British India.^[2] Image File history File links Varanus. ... Image File history File links Varanus. ... This article is about the geopolitical region in Asia. ...

• A. Nostril an oblique slit, nearer to orbit than to end of snout; tail round or slightly compressed posteriorly - V. griseus
• B. Nostril an oblique slit, tail compressed, keeled above.
  • a. Nostril a little nearer to end of snout than to orbit - V. flavescens
  • b. Nostril nearer to orbit than to end of snout
    • a' Ventral scales smooth; supraoculars equal; nostril much nearer to orbit than to end of snout - V. bengalensis
    • b' Ventral scales smooth; median supraoculars slightly enlarged transversely; nostril only a little nearer to orbit than to end of snout - V. nebulosus
• C. Nostril roundish or oval, nearer to end of snout than to orbit; tail compressed, keeled above - V. salvator

The Bengal monitor Varanus bengalensis can be distinguished from the Clouded monitor Varanus bengalensis nebulosus by larger scales above the eyes and fewer scales around the body.^[3]

There is considerable variation in colouration with adults being black, grey or brown with lighter patterns on the back. Hatchlings are brighter with dull orange and bold black and yellow bands on the body and tail.

The males can grow up to 100cm. The females, on the other hand, do not grow this large. It has also been found that females have a much shorter tail and lack pre-anal flaps which can be found in males as patches of scales. Populations found in drier areas are lighter in colour. When they first hatch, they appear orange or brown with yellow and black rings around the body and tail. They also have claws which people believe is used to cling onto surfaces such as trees.

Reproduction

Bengal monitors breed mostly during the wet season but some of these animals found in Sri Lanka reproduce during December or January and in Thailand they breed throughout the year. Eggs are laid in burrows, dead logs or even in termite mound, to give the offspring a greater chance of survival. Most young die before hatching or shortly after due to malnourishment. Young monitors feed only on insects and are normally found in trees. The siblings are likely to stay in a group together for the first few months of life.

Food

Although these creatures are relatively large in size, especially for a lizard, they mostly feed on insects such as ants, snails and beetles. They also eat animals such as ground birds, fish, frogs, snakes, other lizards and small mammals.

Distribution

Although called the Bengal Monitor, this species is among the most widely distributed of varanus lizards. It is found in river valleys in eastern Iran, Afghanistan, western Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Burma. A subspecies Varanus bengalensis nebulosus called the Clouded Monitor occurs in southern Burma, Vietnam, Kampuchea, Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra, Java and the Sunda Islands. Sumatra (also spelled Sumatera) is the sixth largest island in the world (approximately 470,000 km²) and is the largest island entirely in Indonesia (two larger islands, Borneo and New Guinea, are partially in Indonesia). ... Java (Indonesian, Javanese, and Sundanese: Jawa) is an island of Indonesia and the site of its capital city, Jakarta. ... The Sunda Islands are a group of islands in west part of the Indonesian Archipelago. ...

Behavior

Bengal Monitors are usually solitary and usually found on the ground although the young are often seen on trees. V. b. nebulosus has a greater propensity for tree climbing.

Large adults may ascend vertical tree trunks and sometimes stalk and capture roosting bats. Their normal prey consists of beetles, grubs, orthopterans, scorpions, snails, ants and other invertebrates. Vertebrate prey is comparatively rare and includes frogs, fish, lizards, snakes and rodents. Bengal monitors shelter in burrows or crevices in rocks and buildings, whilst clouded monitors prefer tree hollows. Both races will make use of abandoned termite mounds.

Males will fight each other in a bipedal fashion for females. After mating the female lays up to 30 eggs in a hollow dug in the ground and the eggs hatch in about five months. The young often remain together in loose groups and often live on trees and live on an insectivorous diet.

Notes

1. ^ Auffenberg, Walter (1994). The Bengal Monitor. University Press of Florida, 494. ISBN 0813012953. 
2. ^ Boulenger, G.A. 1890. Fauna of British India. Reptilia and Amphibia. Taylor & Francis.
3. ^ Mertens, R. (1942). Ein weiterer neuer Warane aus Australien. Zool. Anz. 137: 41-44

References

• Auffenberg, W. 1979 Intersexual differences in behaviour of captive Varanus bengalensis. J.Herpet. 13(3):313-315.
• Auffenberg, W. 1979 Research on monitor lizards. Tiger Paper 6(4):20-21.
• Auffenberg, W. 1981 Combat behaviour in Varanus bengalensis. J.Bombay N.H.S. 78(1):54-72.
• Auffenberg, W. 1983 The burrows of Varanus bengalensis. Rec. Zool. Surv. India 80:375-385.
• Auffenberg, W. 1983 Courtship behaviour in Varanus bengalensis. In Advances in Herpetology and Evolutionary Biology: Essays in Honor of Ernest E. Williams (Rhodin & Myata eds.): 535-551.
• Auffenberg, W. 1983 Notes on feeding behaviour of Varanus bengalensis. J. Bombay N.H.S. 80 (2): 286-302.
• Auffenberg, W. 1986. The Indian monitor lizard. Sanctuary Asia. 6 (4):327-333.

External links

• The online Little Book of Monitor Lizards
• Two fighting Common Indian Monitor Lizard males "standing" make the cover of "Sanctuary Asia Magazine"
• The Story behind the Picture - "Monitor Lizards Combat" from the website of Jayanth Sharma's "WILDLIFE TIMES"