Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know they are almos the same.. benn reading a lot, but havent find anything clear... does any one knows the difference..?? as adults of course..

thanks

Rick

From what I have always understood is the whitethroat stays relatively smaller. I have not seen many adult white's but the ones I have seen were smaller than the adult black's.

With all reptiles there are acceptations. I wouldn't ever say that they are all smaller. SHvar's female is a BTxWT and that thing is HUGE, not to mention its a FEMALE!!!

I am sure someone else can clarify this more than me.

http://www.honoluluzoo.org/monitor_lizard_white_throated.htm

BT is a local version, or subspecies of WT.
If you look at some local versions of V.a.albigularis (ie cape banded WTs) they get smaller on average, keep in mind that environment affects this alot, they are from the southern most areas in their range, where it gets colder, and stays colder longer.
BTs are from higher altitudes on average, but are found farther north. Their colors and patterns reflect needs in their environments, camoflage, ability to collect/reflect heat faster, etc. Availability of larger prey items and more readily availability of prey reflects in their growth potential differences.
If a subspecies need to mature at the same age (sexually) as another subspecies for survival, it will adapt by becoming smaller. But in the case of some WTs the size difference can be nothing.
In captivity many keepers say the sizes of a BT or WT are around 3-4ft average, but these are examples of keepers who are not seeing their captive make full potential or even close to it. There are people who say 4-5ft is the average, this again is an example of the same. In a few areas of Africa the WT or BT averages 6ft or more for males, and 5.5ft for females, keep in mind that in the wild they take years to sexually mature, and are fighting for survival, and facing days to months of no food to eat every year.
7ft 3 inches is the largest known male albigularis, the largest female known according to Mark Bayless years ago was 6ft 2 inches, this was past over by my Sobek when she was just over 3 years old.
Like mentioned by someone else, she is also a cross, her grandmother was a BT, her grand father was a cape banded WT, the resulting offspring (such as one of my other albigs, Shadow) were raised, then a female was bred back to the cape banded WT male again, this produced Sobek and her siblings.
Technically you have to be more specific when seeking an answer as to which gets larger, such as a cape banded WT will stay smaller than a BT, but a WT from Namibia may grow to a similar size.

thank you very much guys.... it really help...

I want to get a cape banded WT, and was wondering about the size diference... now its clear, think its a good size
thanks again

cheers

rick

I dont think Ive ever seen one beyond 5ft in length, but they are stil a big monitor full grown. Albigs are imposing monitors, they are very very strong, between their bite and their tail whipping its hard to decide which feels worse. They have crushing bites, so you may see something I have experienced, a broken finger (keep in mind this was a 4ft albig, not full grown). They certainly have the worse tail whip of any species, it leaves large bruises that last for a week or more.