THE REPTILES OF AUSTRALIA - MONITORS

AUSTRALIAN REPTILE PHOTOS AND INFORMATION
Covering Australian Snakes and Lizards, Crocodiles and Turtles

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SPOTTED MONITORS
(or "Panoptes")

NORTHERN YELLOW SPOTTED MONITOR
Floodplain Goanna
Varanus panoptes panoptes
and the
DESERT SPOTTED MONITOR
also often commonly called a Bungarra in WA
Varanus panoptes rubidus

Yellow Spotted Monitors (Varanus panoptes) are often confused with the Sand Monitor (Varanus gouldii) and people often dispute the identity of some specimens.


A large Yellow Spotted Monitor (Varanus panoptes panoptes) feeding on a dead wallaby - photographed on south-western Cape York, Queensland

Approximate distribution of Yellow Spotted Monitors (Varanus panoptes)

Note that a 3rd subspecies called the Argus Monitor (Varanus panoptes horni) (RED ON MAP) which is found in New Guinea and some Torres Strait Islands.

According to Glen Storr of the WA Museum the Argus Monitor (Varanus panoptes horni) is a synonym of Varanus panoptes panoptes
Approximate distribution of Yellow Spotted Monitors (Varanus panoptes)

The Northern Yellow Spotted Monitor (Varanus panoptes panoptes) is Shown in GREEN on the map.
It is also found on some offshore islands

The Desert Spotted Monitor (Varanus panoptes rubidus) (ORANGE ON MAP) may have a solid yellow tail tip like most Sand Monitors (Varanus gouldii),
whereas Varanus panoptes panoptes usually has a yellowish tail tip which as some banding on it.

Desert Spotted Monitor (Varanus panoptes rubidus) photographed north of Meekatharra, WA
- Copyright Jean and Fred Hort "Peace" by jeans_Photos is licensed under CC BY 2.0 .

Yellow Spotted Monitor (Varanus panoptes panoptes) inserts its head inside this dead wallaby for a feed.



This Yellow Spotted Monitor (Varanus panoptes panoptes) has blood on its head after putting its inside this dead wallaby for a feed.
Notice the banding on the tail which is commonly seen on this species.



This very large Yellow Spotted Monitor (Varanus panoptes panoptes) has a belly full of food



Young Northern Yellow Spotted Monitor (Varanus panoptes panoptes), Darwin area



Northern Yellow Spotted Monitor (Varanus panoptes panoptes), Darwin area



Northern Yellow Spotted Monitor (Varanus panoptes panoptes), Darwin area



Juvenile Northern Yellow Spotted Monitor (Varanus panoptes panoptes), Darwin area



Northern Yellow Spotted Monitor (Varanus panoptes panoptes), photographed in the "Top End", NT



Yellow Spotted Monitor (Varanus panoptes) photographed at Snakes Downunder Reptile Park & Zoo, Childers, Qld.

The picture above was taken on the side of the Stuart Highway North of Katherine NT.
This Yellow Spotted Monitor (Varanus panoptes?) allowed me to approach close enough to take this picture before running away.

Note that the pattern on this lizard and the one below are not typical of this species, and some people consider these to be Sand Monitors (Varanus gouldii), however its is also not typical of either species.
Many people believe that more scientific research needs to be done on Varanus panoptes