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Australian Wildlife

  Mertens' Water Monitor (Varanus mertensi)





Mertens' Water Monitor | Varanus mertensi photo
Mertens' Water Monitor photographed at Pet and Animal Expo, Brisbane

Image by ozwildlife - Some rights reserved.

Mertens' Water Monitor | Varanus mertensi photo
Mertens' Water Monitor

Image by opaquEpiphany (Mark) - Some rights reserved.







REPTILE FACTS

Description
Mertens' Water Monitor is found in It is an aquatic lizard that basks on rocks and branches near water. It drops into water when disturbed and can stay underwater for long periods.

Size
It is smaller than the Lace Monitor growing to a total length of about 1m

Habitat
found along small streams and creeks in the tropical north of Australia

Food
It eats fish, crabs, frogs and carrion.

Breeding
Eggs hatch after 200-300 days depending on temperature. The hatchlings enter the water immediately.

Range
Mertens' Water Monitor is found in tropical northern Australia from Western Australia to Queensland.

distribution map showing range of Varanus mertensi in Australia

Credits:
Map is from Atlas of Living Australia website at https://biocache.ala.org.au licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.



Classification
Class:Reptilia
Order:Squamata (Sauria)
Family:Varanidae
Genus:Varanus
Species:mertensi
Common Name:Mertens' Water Monitor

Relatives in same Genus
  Ridge-tailed Monitor (V. acanthurus)
  Stripe-tailed Monitor (V. caudolineatus)
  Perentie (V. giganteus)
  Pygmy Mulga Monitor (V. gilleni)
  Kimberley Rock Monitor (V. glauerti)
  Gould's Monitor (V. gouldii)
  Mangrove Monitor (V. indicus)
  Pygmy Rock Monitor (V. kingorum)
  Yellow Spotted Monitor (V. panoptes)
  Emerald Tree Monitor (V. prasinus)
  Heath Monitor (V. rosenbergii)
  Spencer's Monitor (V. spenceri)
  Storr's Monitor (V. storri)
  Spotted Tree Monitor (V. timorensis)
  Black-headed Monitor (V. tristis)
  Lace Monitor / Goanna (V. varius)