The rediscovery of the Common Water Monitor Lizard Varanus salvator (Squamata: Varanidae) in northern Myanmar
Main Article Content
Abstract
On 09 June 2015, a Common Water Monitor Varanus salvator (Laurenti, 1768) was observed and photographed (Image 1) on the campus of Banmaw University, Banmaw (Bhamo), Kachin State, Myanmar (24018’15â€N & 97015’52â€E). Subsequently, a second individual was observed 140km to the west at Banmauk, Sagaing Division (24024’N & 95051’E). These two observations are the first records of Varanus salvator from Upper Myanmar since Anderson (1878). It would be interesting to conduct follow-up studies to determine whether this is indeed a relict northern population.Â
Article Details
Authors own the copyright to the articles published in JoTT. This is indicated explicitly in each publication. The authors grant permission to the publisher Wildlife Information Liaison Development (WILD) Society to publish the article in the Journal of Threatened Taxa. The authors recognize WILD as the original publisher, and to sell hard copies of the Journal and article to any buyer. JoTT is registered under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY), which allows authors to retain copyright ownership. Under this license the authors allow anyone to download, cite, use the data, modify, reprint, copy and distribute provided the authors and source of publication are credited through appropriate citations (e.g., Son et al. (2016). Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of the southeastern Truong Son Mountains, Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam. Journal of Threatened Taxa 8(7): 8953–8969. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.2785.8.7.8953-8969). Users of the data do not require specific permission from the authors or the publisher.
References
Anderson, J. (1878). Anatomical and zoological researches: comprising an account of the zoological results of the two expeditions to Western Yunnan in 1868 and 1875; and a monograph of the two cetacean genera, Platanista and Orcella. Volume 1. Bernard Quaritch, London. 984 pp.
Bennett, D., M. Gaulke, E.R. Pianka, R. Somaweera, & S.S. Sweet (2010). Varanus salvator. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010: e.T178214A7499172.http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T178214A7499172.en. Downloaded on 22 December 2015.
Böhme, W. (2003). Checklist of the living monitor lizards of the world (family Varanidae). Zoologische Verhandelingen Leiden, 341: 3-43.
Cota, M., T. Chan-Ard, and S. Makchai (2009). Geographical distribution and regional variation of Varanus salvator macromaculatus inThailand. Biawak, 3(4), pp.134-143.
Koch, A., M. Auliya, A. Schmitz, U. Kuch, and W. Böhme (2007). Morphological studies on the systematic of South East Asian Water Monitors (Varanus salvator Complex): Nominotypic populations and taxonomic overview. pp. 109-180. In H.-G. Horn, W. Böhme & U. Krebs (eds.). Advances in Monitor Research III, Mertensiella 16. Rheinbach.
Koch, A., E. Arida, A. Schmitz, W. Böhme, and T. Ziegler (2009). Refining the polytypic speices of concept of mangrove monitors (Squamata: Varanus indicus group): a new cryptic species from the Talaud Islands, Indonesia, reveals the underestimated diversity of Indo-Australian monitor lizards. Australian Journal of Zoology, 57: 29-40.
Koch, A., M. Auliya, and T. Ziegler (2010). Updated checklist of the living monitor lizards of the world (Squamata: Varanidae). Bonn zoological Bulletin, 57(2): 127-136.
Koch, A., T. Ziegler, W. Böhme, E. Arida, and M. Auliya (2013). Pressing problems: Distribution, threats and conservation status of the monitor lizards (Varanidae: Varanus spp.) of Southeast Asia and the Indo-Australian Archipelago. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 8 (3) 1-62. http://www.herpconbio.org/Volume_8/monographs/Koch_etal_2013.pdf
Mertens, R. (1942). Die Familie der Warane (Varanidae). Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft, (Frankfurt), 462: 1-116; 465: 117-234; 466: 235-391.