Hi Bill, before we switch over to monitors, lets work on the Crots. We have those here and they are very similar to small monitors.

But I think you may be a little prejudiced. For instance, you call the rock an adult male or pair basks on, the best spot. You have to question that. I am sure there are hundreds of spots in that same area with the EXACT same temps. Please check where the lizards are not, as well as where they are.

Crots here are rarely saxocolis(living in rock crevice or under bark) They normally bask on small rocks(sometimes not so small) and live in burrows under or near a prime basking spot.

To understand this, They only use that Prime basking spot at certain times of the year, and use other areas inbetween(you know, when they are not on top that rock).

Your importance is that 112F, which I will not question, what I question is, how many other areas around that rock(if it is a rock) is that same temp. Once you understand, there are many areas or spots that male or pair could use, it will cause you to understand there are more reasons then physical they pick a certain rock. For instance, what will happen if you take that rock home and put it in your rock garden? If you do that while the lizards are in their burrows, they simply pick another one near that one. No worries. So again, why that rock?

So as you mentioned, there are other males, and you should of included other females, in that area, that appear to not use that rock. I say appear, as you may want to increase the time you look at that basking rock. As smaller individuals often use the same rock earlier in the day. On or different days.

But your right, on the day and time that male or female or pair, decides to use that "one" rock, the others simply move over. No fighting, no fuss.

This indicates a relationship with other lizards of its own kind. They also have a relationship with other species.

Now if you bring in a male or female from a foreign area, say a mile or more away. They will not allow it anywhere near them, not on that rock, or anywhere near, they will chase it over hill and dale and fight to the finish(or when one leaves) This indicates there are distint groups of the same species. Which indicates a form of social status. You know, us guys and you guys, much like keepers and academics. You know, we really have no REAL reason to fight, but we do. We do because we are social. It always boils down to us guys(our social group) and those guys(the others and who cares what they do, they are weird)

Lets take that and compare it to some birds. We commonly see a flock of birds(how social is that?) Yet, these dang dumb birds bicker and bicker and bicker. They always bicker. But if a member of another flock intrudes, that bickering becomes something else, ITS WAR I TELL YOU. hahahahaha they will not bicker with that one, they will fight it.

So what you see is, that collarded uses that one rock, as a post, a social post. He/she/they, go there to be seen. The reason its a social post is, they do not physically need that rock. They could use the next one over, or a branch or just the ground. The REAL truth is, they spend the vast majority of their life not on that rock. They also bask under small rocks(heat up faster).

I call that rock thing a line of succession, as they will yield that spot to their offspring, but not to the OTHERs(academics) Their will be a line of succession within the group.

Enough of that.

Yes, they are very comparable to many small monitors. Say, ackies. Certain types do exactly the same, live in holes and bask on a succession rock. They live in colonies(much denser) and have a hi-archy of succession. Did I say much denser.

Now you must consider, the amount of time they do the above, is very very short, is it not? what are they doing the rest of their lifes? Also what are they doing in the fall? in the winter? in early spring? My bet is, your seeing this in late spring, maybe early summer where your from(may be different here)

So, whats up the rest of the year??? To understand them, you must understand the rest of the year.

Now I going to hit you on the nockin, Do not worry about stuff like that rock. You need to worry about what it takes for reproduction, as without reproduction, those lizards will be exstint. When I study a reptile, I do not consider anything until I find the reproductive center. That is, I have evidence of GRAVID females, eggs, nests, babies. Without that, what are you looking at??????? Of course your looking at something, but not the important part.

So I warn you, find the base(the reproductive center) and look at the animals and what they do. That way, you can see the relationship on how it works for the purpose of recruitment. As recruitment HAS to be the center of understanding what they do.

And sir, that is the part missing in nearly all varanid field work.

In one arguement with a noted field reseacher, on his work with V.tristis. He had 2500 observations of V.tristis(I am guessing as I forgot the exact number, so its aprox.) During my questioning him, I asked how many reproductive events did you see? You know like copulations, his answer was one, they saw two tails sticking out of a hole in a tree. Hmmmmmmmm is that copulating???? And only for a short time. Us captive breeders know that they copulate for hours at a time over 3 to 5 days. So what was that? I then asked about nesting, again, one event. They saw a fat lizard go in a hole and come out skinny. I then asked, how many eggs, etc. The answer, we did not dig it up. Then I have to wonder what makes you think it nested and actually laid eggs. That answer was, they did not. I then asked did you see babies come out, the answer was no, did you dig it up after they hatched and count eggshells, the answer was no.

So as scientific has he wanted the paper to be, of 2500 observations, there was two(POSSIBLE) non proven reproductive events. Yet, the paper included a nearly full prediction of what these lizards do. You know, their natural history.

The point is, if you view 1000 individuals and included the breeding season(anything else would be worthless) You would have to see X percentage of gravid females in order to for that population to EXSIST. In my work, it averages about 20% of the population is reproductively important, that is, reliable and repeatitive. About 30% is reproductively viable but inconsistant. And 50% of the population is either toast or waiting in the line of succession. Of course this varies from year to year. So to fit our low 20%, he should have seen 50 reproductive events. That he did not meant he was not in the right place at the right time. So it becomes a meaningless study. Or as you said, something to right about, for the sake of writing. But did not INCLUDE what it takes for any and all animals to exsist.
We call the non breeders, gooners, as they do not follow a set path, they simply goon around until they die or find a vacant position in the group. Sorry went to long, whoops

The pic is Daniel Bennett on a collarded site near my house Cheers

[ Show Entire Thread ]