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I want to know how big the australian desert monitor (flavi) grow for adult size

VARANUS FLAVIRUFUS

by

Daniel Bennett
http://mampam.50megs.com/monitors/flavirufus.html

Desert sand goannas rarely exceed 100cm in total length. None of the specimens I have seen possess the bulk of adult V.rosenbergi or the nameless race. The largest specimen found by Thompson & Hosmer (1963) in the Great Sandy Desert measured 76.4cm TL. Those found in the Great Victoria desert have an average SVL of 32cm, with sexual maturity attained at around 25cm SVL. Males have significantly larger heads than females and may reach slightly greater lengths, (Pianka 1994). A healthy specimen at Laverton, Western Australia, with a SVL of 31cm (75cm TL) weighed 380g during midsummer (pers. obs.).

In the southern deserts at least, activity is restricted to the warmer months (September to February). The remainder of the year is spent underground. V.flavirufus flavirufus (and probably other closely related races) often shelter in shallow burrows that terminate just below the surface, allowing the animals to beak through the sand and escape if persued into the burrow (Bustard 1970; Greer 1989). Breeding in the Great Victoria Desert occurs from September to November. Clutch size may be smaller than in the nominate race; Pianka (1994) records a maximum of eight eggs in the Great Victoria Desert, Brooker & Wombey (1978) record seven eggs from a female in the western Nullarbor Plain. Bredl (in Bustard 1970) cites the case of a 107cm TL female from South Australia that laid 11 eggs in captivity. Hatchlings appear in January and February in many areas of Western Australia (Pianka 1970). Given the known incubation times in captivity it seems likely that the eggs take about a year to hatch in the wild. Sand goannas grow very quickly. Pianka (1994) suggests that they reach sexual maturity within a year. A specimen kept at the Dallas Zoo grew from 30cm to 75cm in 19 months (Murphy 1972). Irwin (1986) records that 27cm TL hatchlings grew to 33cm in three months. Eggs laid in captivity weigh 15-18g (Mitchell 1990) and in the wild desert sand goannas weigh around 11-15g shortly after hatching (Pianka pers. comm.). Card (1994b) records that hatchling sand goannas can weigh as much as 38g.

>>I want to know how big the australian desert monitor (flavi) grow for adult size

The males can and do grow to between three and four feet.

I am familiar with the literature and also have spend many years in the field. With that in mind a small story.

Several years ago, I was visited by a super nice Ozzie monitor author, Dennis King. He asked if I had/kept/bred, V.flavirufus. I said yes, he asked this question, how large do they get? I answered as above, between three and four feet. He said, he has never seen/heard of one over three feet. So I showed him my original male(3 1/2 feet) His commemt was absolutely great. He said, Well thats a Flavi all right and it sure is over a meter(3 feet)

In my own field experience, I have never seen a western V.flavirufus, over three feet. In fact, over two feet is rare. But I have seen several large males in the dead center that were between three and four feet. In my humble opinion, the two types are distintly different and are simply waiting to be named seperate species. Now back to Dennis King, he was from W.A.(perth) and was exposed to that form of flavi.

Indeed the western form is different from the center form, much like gouldi is different from flavirufus and other forms named gouldi. Much like V.p.rubidus, is different from V.p.panoptes, But it surely is different. I do not care to go on a limb and say they are different species, subspecies or forms, morphs, whatever. Its just that they are different. That would be up to the, cladist/taxo/systematic folks. The truth is, names are suppose to identify that they are different. In the case of many montiors, the Scientific nomenclature, has totally failed.

I too, read and believed the books, that is, until reality over ran them. Good luck FR

How big do the gouldi get in comparison to V. Flavirufus? I noticed the post and thought I would jump in and ask since you have so much experience with the gouldii complex. I gotta take pics so you can see all the little guys the cross that was not doing so well is fat as mud. Last question what has the been the largest size for a cross that you have had? anyways gotta run maybe well talk more about it later when I call to order the mice ....theyre eating so much and need to buy bulk now.

alex

Well Alex, that is not easy to answer. If you are talking about your gouldi and the bloodline of flavis in the states, then the answer is, they get about the same size. Maybe, flavis getting a tab bit larger. (in my experience)
But when you say gouldi, that includes thousands of different bloodlines and some of those get much larger then flavies(IN NATURE).

People here in the states, use the names like the ones we have are the only ones in the world, they are not, in fact, we have a very limited gene pool.

While there may only be a couple different types of Flavis in the world, there are indeed many types of gouldi.

In reality, how well you care for your monitors will determine their size more then their genetics. Most assume, they will get a certain size, like mammals, they are not mammals and respond to their conditions.

When I first started, I allowed the monitors to get big, later I learned that it only created a larger eating machine. The smaller individuals were much easier to keep fed. The larger they get the more they eat, they never eat less. Good luck F

FR has some of the most extensive and applicable info on these as he has bred them for quite awhile.

My adult male is right at 3' and my female is about 26"

>>I want to know how big the australian desert monitor (flavi) grow for adult size