....and defining what 'species' is is confusing. We have only had since 1766 or so to discuss this concept and its various applications with technology to figure it out, and I suspect we will not define it for a few more....as Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace said, (paraphrasing) 'Variety within a race (= species) is normal', and that variety is what we are having trouble with - where does a variety become a species, and under what scenarios has it become so? A Wonderful book on evolution and its complixities written for anyone who like Science is, "The Beak of the Finch".

Back to varanids: Today the Order of the Day is how their hemipene structures are designed and shaped determines who is related to whom, and so on....personally I believe this to be only 1 aspect of their speciation, and not the total absolute determining factor of this Genera.

cheers,
mbayless

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