Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My favorite monitor is the Crocodile Monitor and I wanted to see what some people have to say about them. So, does anyone have any good info on localities? What is with the different patterns? Do they co-exsist in the same areas or is it a loaclity thing? I really like Crocs with the large bright yellow rows of spots. Some have a scattered speckled pattern, drab orangish color, and some have the awesome dark black under-neck that wraps up around the head. Thes also have very bright yellow. There isn't to much info out there on Crocodile Monitors. I would like to hear as much as possible about them. I have them and will always keep them. I want to get farther into their history and habitat. I would like to see more detailed info other than large claws, sharp teeth, and long tail. They are by far the most fascinating monitor I have ever dealt with. I can stare at them for hours. I appreciate any info and comments anyone has. Thanks!

Hi,
They are amazing animals in deed - perhaps because we know little about how they live in PNG. What I wrote about them in 1998 Reptiles (june) pretty much summed up what we knew then - there is a little more info in the recent book, "Varanoid Lizards of the World" (Ed.) By Eric Pianka, [late] Dennis King, and Ruth A. King [2005].

I have been collecting material on this species for 15 years and although I have some 'interesting' reports about them, we still do not have a Auffenberg-type monograph on them.

There are those people who say V. salvadorii pattern is attributable to certain localities - this is not surprising, as many animals show this characteristic, i.e. Varanus salvator and V. bengalensis, so why not V. salvadorii?

There is 1 person planning a field study of the Atrela next year.

There is a paper coming out on their known distribution in the near future by two herpetologists.

I am co-authoring a paper on the parasites of V. salvadorii now, and I am writing a large monograph involving these animals (and other larger Varanids), and what we know of them in the past, present and their possible future.

So this is what is known of V. salvadorii - an amazing species.
mbayless

I would like to hear anything you come up with. I am very interested in any studies done on them. I figured that pattern is locality related also, it affects so many other species. I am also wondering how it might affect size. I have read that certain areas have Crocs that are smaller in size and/or longer tails. I am really interested in the localities though. I have seen some crocs that are just amazing and others I don't even want due to being so uncharacteristic of how I picture a Croc (my opinion of coarse). If you find anything out or want to through some info my way it would always be appreciated. My e-mail is VaranusTattus@aol.com Thanks for your reply and info!

Best regards,
Brandon

The names that have been used are:
Merauke (yellow nose and head with scattered pattern)
Jayapura (Large round dotted back pattern)
Sorong (similar to jayapura but darker less contrasting)

The orange tinged crocs tend to be wild caught and lose the orange after being in captivity and shedding out a few times. Unless there is another orange variant I haven't seen? (could be)
The black colored throat IMO is more individual rather then locality specific.

Information is out there if you look hard enough.

I have heard of those localities and was wondering what they all included as far as pattern. Thanks for putting that definition on there for each one. As far as looking goes, I do look and this is part of finding information. There are a lot of people out there and it is always good to ask everyone. Someone always has something extra to add that you might not find or over looked somehow. I encourage everyone that is interested in something to take every avenue to find out what they can. I appreciate your input and thanks for taking the time to give the info you have.