Spencer's goanna (''Varanus spenceri''), also known commonly as Spencer's monitor, is a species of

monitor lizard Monitor lizards are lizards in the genus ''Varanus,'' the only extant genus in the family Varanidae. They are native to Africa, Asia, and Oceania, and one species is also found in the Americas as an invasive species. About 80 species are recogn ...

in the family Varanidae. The species is endemic to

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

Etymology

The

specific name Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...

, ''spenceri'', is in honor of English-Australian biologist Walter Baldwin Spencer.

Geographic range

''Varanus spenceri'' is found in eastern Northern Territory and northwestern Queensland, Australia. It is native to the

Barkly Tableland The Barkly Tableland is a rolling plain of grassland in Australia. It runs from the eastern part of the Northern Territory into western Queensland. It is one of the five regions in the Northern Territory and covers , 21% of the Northern Terr ...

Description

''Varanus spenceri'' can grow to a total length (including tail) of up to . Spencer's monitor is generally heavier than a similarly sized monitor of another species due to its "stockier" build. It has sharp claws which it uses for digging burrows.

Diet

''Varanus spenceri'' eats anything it can find, including highly venomous snakes, small mammals, small lizards, eggs, and

carrion Carrion () is the decaying flesh of dead animals, including human flesh. Overview Carrion is an important food source for large carnivores and omnivores in most ecosystems. Examples of carrion-eaters (or scavengers) include crows, vultures, c ...

(dead animals), and is able to digest anything it eats.

Defensive behavior

When threatened, ''V. spenceri'' hisses loudly, distends its throat and whips its aggressor with its muscular tail.

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of ''V. spenceri'' is grassland. Living in black soil plains with no trees, Spencer's goanna is the only Australian monitor that does not readily climb, although juvenile animals will climb given the opportunity.

Reproduction

Clutch A clutch is a mechanical device that engages and disengages power transmission, especially from a drive shaft to a driven shaft. In the simplest application, clutches connect and disconnect two rotating shafts (drive shafts or line shafts). ...

size of Spencer's monitor generally ranges between 11 and 30 eggs.''Varanus spenceri''
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Taxonomy

''Varanus ingrami'' , is an invalid name (a junior synonym) for this species. www.reptile-database.org.

References

External links

Photos at Kingsnake.com
Varanus Reptiles of Queensland Reptiles described in 1903 Reptiles of the Northern Territory Monitor lizards of Australia Taxa named by Arthur Henry Shakespeare Lucas Taxa named by Charles Frost (naturalist) {{Lizard-stub