# what species of monitor is this



## unique_creatures (Jan 26, 2011)

went to a friends place the other day and i wasnt sure what type of monitor this was. He said it was a Sand Monitor but it look exactly like my other friends yellow spotted monitor. 

Can anyone help with which one it is?


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## dozerman (Jan 26, 2011)

Looks like a sandy, a photo including the tail would help. A yellow spotted monitor is a different animal. 
There is still a fair bit of confusion with the whole Gouldii family because of the massive range and re classification. The creation of mongrels by breeding different locales and sub species doesnt help.


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## reptilian1924 (Jan 26, 2011)

lf it does not have a yellow tail tip l would say it is a Varanus Penoptes Penoptes-Yellow Spotted Monitor.


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## crocdoc (Jan 26, 2011)

No need for a photo of the tail, that's a yellow spotted monitor,_ Varanus panoptes_

They look quite different from _Varanus gouldii_, regardless of tail colour (not to mention that I've seen _Varanus panoptes_ with yellow tail tips, anyway)


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## Dannyboi (Jan 26, 2011)

It's eyes! Its staring into my soul! I am in love!


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## dozerman (Jan 26, 2011)

Ha  , is my face red !?! Ill pm you Crocdoc,if dont mind, ive got some questions.


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## unique_creatures (Jan 26, 2011)

thank you for letting me know


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## eipper (Jan 27, 2011)

def panoptes..... Croc Doc is correct

Cheers,
Scott


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## crocdoc (Jan 27, 2011)

No need to get red faced, dozerman, it is a tricky group. No problem sending me questions via PM, either (or on here for that matter). The one thing I imagine you'll ask for that I'd find difficult to answer, is definitive features for distinguishing the two species from photos, because sometimes it's an overall 'look' that's hard to define with specifics.


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## reptilian1924 (Jan 27, 2011)

crocdoc said:


> No need for a photo of the tail, that's a yellow spotted monitor,_ Varanus panoptes_
> 
> They look quite different from _Varanus gouldii_, regardless of tail colour (not to mention that I've seen _Varanus panoptes_ with yellow tail tips, anyway)


 
Crocdoc, l agree with you that its quite different to a ( Varanus Gouldii ) and l also have seen ( Varanus Penoptes ) with a yellow tail tip and they are ( Varanus Penoptes Rubidus ) accurs in the Pilbara Gascoyne Region of Wastern Australia, and is redder with no dark bands on tail tip.


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## Chicken (Jan 27, 2011)

So your friend thinks its a sand monitor and he's wrong, is he keeping it as a pet? Or did he find it in the wild? Cause if it is a pet and he's treating as though its a sand monitor.... well then.....


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## unique_creatures (Jan 27, 2011)

he purchased it as a sand monitor.


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## crocdoc (Jan 27, 2011)

reptilian1933 said:


> they are ( Varanus Penoptes Rubidus )


 I'm aware of_ Varanus panoptes rubidus_, but the ones I was referring to were _V panoptes panoptes_. I've seen them with unbanded tail tips in Queensland.


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## eipper (Jan 27, 2011)

The throat marking are a better diagnostic than tail tip colouration, there are also massive behavioral differences between panoptes and gouldii.....


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## crocdoc (Jan 28, 2011)

eipper said:


> there are also massive behavioral differences between panoptes and gouldii.....


 I agree. I've yet to see a wild _gouldii_ hold its ground and challenge me the way many _panoptes_ do. 









Even their stance while walking around normally is very different.


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## Jk888 (Jan 28, 2011)

hmm thats one hot monitor


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