Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was screwing around with google and typed Varanus Niloticus on Google image finder, a few results came up V.Niloticus Ornata or Ornatus, The "Ornate" form of the Nile monitor is now counted as a subspecies? When did that happen? or is it something that breeders have simply coined?

Sorry for a random question, but I always thought it was just a light colored mutation of a sort rather than a isolated subspecies
-----
2.4.1.2 Leos
1.1 Beardie
1.0 Burm
0.1 Common Boa
1.0 Bp (Turns out, it's a 2nd burmese)

In 1766 Carolus Linneaus named "Lacerta nilotica" from life-size illustrations made by Albertus Seba Thesaurus of 1634 = truly beautiful illustrations to behold (which I have on my wall!). In 1803 Francois Daudin described "Lacerta ornata" in his treatise; In 1885, all monitor lizards or 'Monitoridae' were assigned to Genus Varanus - 'Varanus' was first listed in 1815 by Rafinesque. In 1942 Robert F. Mertens (1894-1975) assigned Varanus niloticus ornatus as a subspecies to nominant form Varanus niloticus niloticus. In 1997 Wolfgang Bohme elevated Varanus ornatus to species status, where it is today.

Varanus ornatus has closer affinities to V. exanthematicus, with Varanus niloticus having closer affinities with V. albigularis. And there is Varanus ocellatus which nobody for sure knows what to do with?? I am inclined to believe V. ocellatus is a valid species due to osteological skull differences from all of the afore-mentioned.

cheers,
mbayless

I had no idea it was given it's own species.. even people on this forum had referred to it as an ornate nile.. how interesting.. '97? funny
Since you guys seem to know quite a bit, what's the final idea on the Blackthroat monitor? Still V. Abigularis ionides
or was it branded as a species for similar reasons
(Aren't blackthroats typicaly larger?)

Sorry for the questions, but this is too interesting.. I used to study quite a bit about Varanids and their kin, I'm still trying to get it all right.
-----
2.4.1.2 Leos
1.1 Beardie
1.0 Burm
0.1 Common Boa
1.0 Bp (Turns out, it's a 2nd burmese)

Hi,
I could go through the historical blah blah of V. albigularis for you, but it get confusing pretty quick - needless to say that V. albigularis was formerly designated a subspecies of V. exanthematicus under the subgroup: snubnosed (African) Varanus.
Then they became their own species complex when Bill Branch examined their hemipenes. In 2000, I and Robert Sprackland who had examined many many animals stated in Reptiles Magazine June-July issues, that V. albigularis was a single species, with variances among them due to clinal variation (i.e. altitude and distance from equator) caused the variation that you see today in this African species. There is no internal (skull, hemipene) variation among this V. albigularis species across Africa, only phenotypic/scale size characterisitcs/variations due to the afore-mentioned attributes....or to put it plainly, they're different pattern/color with proximity to equator = greatest solar radiation/food availability = more food = bigger animals vrs Cape Town or Egypt where they are darker or lighter in color and generallly smaller in size. Check out those issues and see the details....V. albiuglaris really is a tank among species, very hardy and tough beasty. there are reports of them achieving 9 feet in Malawi and Natal during the Zulu battles of Islawanda era - and I believe these reports valid; in 1997 a female 7'11" 3/4 inch V. niloticus was caught and killed near a school playground near Pretoria. This was a female! And reports of male V. niloticus achieving lengths of 9-10 feet seem very feasible if it were not for their poached by man for bushmeat, skin, and for tourist souvenirs....
cheers,
mbayless

Actually, it used to be

Varanus niloticus niloticus - common nile
Varanus niloticus ornatus - ornate nile

Several years ago, V. n. ornatus was elevated to species level, Varanus ornatus, and V. n. niloticus became just Varanus niloticus.

However, many people still refer to it as the ornate nile monitor. They are fairly similar looking initially. Ornates, though tend to be bulkier, wider, have a more box-like head, and about 5 bands between the shoulder and hips. The ornate also has a pink tongue.

The "common" nile is thinner, longer, has a narrower and pointed head, and about 7 bands. It also has a bluish purple tongue.

It is not so much a sales gimmick as it is just old terminology lingering around. I still sometimes refer to the ornate monitor as the ornate nile monitor simply because I spent years calling them by that name.
-----
^x^ Bloodbat ^x^
Monitors, monitors everywhere
and all the food they ate.
Monitors, monitors everywhere,
their parents loved to mate.