Reptile Varanus varius (Lace Monitor)

[Corin]

Scientific Name: Varanus varius

Common Name: Varanus varius

Order: Squamata

Suborder: Lacertilia

Family: Varanidae

Other Names: Goanna

Distribution: Eastern Australia from Cape Bedford on Cape York Peninsula to south-eastern South Australia

Habitat: They frequent both open and closed forests and forage over long distances (up to 3 km a day).

Field Notes: Lace monitors are the second-largest monitor in Australia after the Perentie. They can be as long as 2.1 metres (over 6 ft 10ins) with a head and body length of up to 76.5 cm (2½ ft). The tail is long and slender and about 1.5 times the length of the head and body. Maximum weight of lace monitor can be 20 kg.(44 lb), but most adults are much smaller. Source wikipedia

Pictures are mine as mostly always

this picture was taken with my camera but not by me cause I am in it... The monitor is on the tree I am there for scale, the monitor is just scaly.

 

[auscraft]

I believe the one in your pic is known as the "Bell's Form"
The one I am about to show is the '' Common Form" This particular form get confussed with the sand goanna often in Qld. Several pics to show the markings and claws

View attachment 1023View attachment 1024View attachment 1021View attachment 1025View attachment 1022

Pic by Auscraft Sept 2011

 

[Corin]

So Whats the story? are they the same species? Both the ones I had pictured had different markings, (they are two separate lizards), are they different species or just "breeds" . I am no expert as you know but would love to know the difference if anyone can help?

 

[auscraft]

I have been told at the moment same species just different markings , they are looking at renaming 1 if they can find a gene difference, as both can be found together they won't do name change unless find a difference.
Looking at their backs they are almost identical

 

[Hairyman]

Despite the excellent camo, their presence in the bush is often given away by the commotion birds make.
They seem to really to despise them, mobbing, swooping and peking them
on the back of the head in an interspecies coalition of noisy minors, butcher birds,
apostle birds ect. Not suprising as they are notorious egg and nestling raiders.

Hairy

 

[auscraft]

It is also said if bitten by a goanna the bite returns each year. But apparently if treated properly these days not so obvious.

 

[Hairyman]

This one had trouble getting past a chainlink fence and was not happy getting his pic taken, hissing at me
every time I got close.

 

[Greatbloke]

A few pics that my partner and I took in Baw Baw national park, Victoria on the weekend.

 

[koalaboi]

Goannas actually deliver poison when they bite...the discovery of poison glands in their jaws is quite recent and, given how long we've known about them, pretty surprising!

KB

 

[Dusty]

Just fantastic photos Greatbloke. I didn't know they were raiders. Thats a lesson well learnt for when I am out in the bush.

 

[Greatbloke]

Goannas actually deliver poison when they bite...the discovery of poison glands in their jaws is quite recent and, given how long we've known about them, pretty surprising!

KB

Interesting, koalaboi. I knew there was previously some argument in the scientific world whether that was the case or not.

 

[Greatbloke]

Goannas smell with their tongue; It's tongue is withdrawn, and the odor molecules are conveyed to a sensitive chemosensory organ on the roof of the mouth, and - from memory- can smell eggs buried 1m under ground. The chicken egg in this pic was there one second, and gone the next as he virtually "inhaled" the egg in a quick gulp. They also enjoyed cooked sausages and baked beans, but did not eat bread after a quick lick. The forked tongue enables it to sense which direction the scent comes from. They are pretty smart for reptiles too, and some have been taught tricks.

 

[Greatbloke]

Just fantastic photos Greatbloke. I didn't know they were raiders. Thats a lesson well learnt for when I am out in the bush.

Thanks, Dusty, and yes this is not the first time I've seen them raiding, some years back I caught one in my food box commencing to devour a dozen eggs. He had chewed through the carton and pierced a couple of them.

 

[XT John]

We had one raid our chook pen and eat all the eggs, including the plastic dummy egg. I found it spewed up about ten yards from the chookhouse!

 

[AussiePreppers]

They are the king of raiders. When I was out west at my mates shack for the first time, we had a whole basket full of awesome food. We would have eaten like kings for that long weekend. Instead, we starved. A family of goannas (two large adults and one juvenile) raided the shack while we were out and ate everything, and I mean everything. Even the loaf of bread.

Luckily they haven't quite mastered the art of cracking a beer open... or we would have had to head home early

Lesson learned - always keep the doors shut.

 

[Dusty Miller]

This is a bit of an odd hole in the face of an embankment. It is oval, as goanna holes are, but too shallow to be shelter a goanna big enough to make it. It goes back about 20 cm, so I think it may be a pardalote n ("chippie" common in the area) nest that was excavated by a goanna and the contents eaten.

http://bushcraftoz.com/forums/showthread.php?2965-Striated-Pardalote-(Pardalotus-striatus)

 

[Arcarni]

some photos from Main Range NP SE QLD

 

[Deleted member 1018]

Nice shots mate, they are a real character of a lizard. Don't for get to post a hello in the "intro" heading. Welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing your photos.