Gray's monitor | |
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Bronx Zoo, 2021 | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Family: | Varanidae |
Genus: | Varanus |
Subgenus: | Philippinosaurus |
Species: | V. olivaceus
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Binomial name | |
Varanus olivaceus | |
Range of Varanus olivaceus |
The Gray's monitor (Varanus olivaceus) is a large (180 cm, >9 kg) monitor lizard known only from lowland dipterocarp forest in southern Luzon, Catanduanes, and Polillo Island, all islands in the Philippines.[1] It is also known as Gray's monitor lizard, butaan, and ornate monitor.[3] It belongs to the subgenus Philippinosaurus.[4] It is largely arboreal and extremely shy. The population of northern Luzon was formerly included in the Gray's monitor, but has been recognized as a separate species, the northern Sierra Madre forest monitor (V. bitatawa), since 2010.