Peer-reviewed papers.

Selective scientific articles are listed here that explicitly examine and report on (1) ecological studies and (2) on the domestic use, international trade and conservation issues of monitor lizards. Relative new findings published on the taxonomy and phylogeny of Varanidae are highlighted under “Science” > “Taxonomy”, and aswell as in the Working Group, “Taxonomy”.

For further literature on other topics, please refer to the reptile database.

Ecological studies

  • Angelici F, Luiselli L (1999) Aspects of the ecology of Varanus niloticus (Reptilia, Varanidae) in Southeastern Nigeria, and their contribution to the knowledge of evolutionary history of Varanus niloticus species complex. Revue Ecologie (Terre Vie) 54: 29-42.
  • James CD (1996) Ecology of the Pygmy Goanna (Varanus brevicauda) in Spinifex Grasslands of Central Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology 44:177-192.
  • Pianka E (1994) Comparative ecology of Varanus in the Great Victoria Desert. Australian J. Ecology 19: 395-408.

Studies on the use and trade of Varanus spp.  

  • Abel F. (1998) Status, Population Biology and Conservation of the Water Monitor (Varanus salvator), the Reticulated Python (Python reticulatus), and the Blood Python (Python curtus) in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia – Project Report North Sumatra. Mertensiella 9: 111-117.
  • Arifin Z (1998) Development Policies of the Leather Industry in Indonesia. In: Conservation, Trade and Sustainable Use of Lizards and Snakes in Indonesia (ed.) erdelen, W. Mertensiella 9: 33-35.
  • Boscha E, Arida E, Yudha DS (2020) Dorsal Colour Patterns of Asian Water Monitor, Varanus salvator Collected for Trade in Cirebon, Indonesia. Journal of Tropical Ethnobiology 3: 133-138.
  • Ciofi C, de Boer M (2004) Distribution and conservation of the Komodo Monitor (Varanus komodoensis). Herpetological Journal 14:99–107.
  • Erdelen W (1991) Conservation and population ecology of monitor lizards: the water monitor Varanus salvator (Laurenti, 1768) in South Sumatra. Mertensiella 2:120–135.
  • Khatiwada JR, Ghimire BC (2009) Conservation status of Varanus flavescens in Chitwan, Nepal. Biawak 3:100–105.
  • Melisch R (1998) Wildlife Trade, Sustainnable Use, and Conservation Implications from a WWF and TRAFFIC Perspective. In: Conservation, Trade and Sustainable Use of Lizards and Snakes in Indonesia (ed.) Erdelen W. Mertensiella 9: 1-8.
  • Nijman V (2015) Water Monitor Lizards for Sale as Novelty Food in Java, Indonesia. Biawak 9: 28-32.
  • Nijman V (2021) Zoos consenting to the illegal wildlife trade – the earless monitor lizard as a case study. Nature Conservation 44: 69–79. https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.44.65124
  • Riquier M (1998) Status, population biology and conservation of the Water Monitor (Varanus salvator), the Reticulated Python (Python reticulatus), and the Blood Python (Python curtus) in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia – Project Report Kalimantan. Mertensiella 9:119–129.
  • Setyawatiningsih SC (2018) The Indonesia’s water monitor (Varanus salvator, Varanidae) trading. SEMIRATA- International Conference on Science and Technology, IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1116: 052059, doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1116/5/052059
  • Shea GM, Cogger HG (1998) Comment on the proposed conservation of the names Hydrosaurus gouldii Gray, 1838 and Varanus panoptes Storr, 1980 (Reptilia, Squamata) by the designation of a neotype for H. gouldii. Bulletin for Zoological Nomenclature 55:106–111.
  • Shepherd, C.R. (2022) Notes on Trade in Varanus macraei in response to (Arida et al., 2021): ‘The Hunt for the Blue tree monitor on Batanta Island, Indonesia: Subsistence on a Treasure?’ Journal of Tropical Ethnobiology 5(1): 47-51.
  • Shepherd CR (2023) First seizure of trafficked Earless Monitor Lizards (Lanthanotus borneensis) in Vietnam with additional notes on illegal trade. Reptiles and Amphibians, 30: e20089.
  • Shine R, Harlow PS, Keogh JS (1996) Commercial harvesting of giant lizards: the biology of Water Monitors Varanus salvator in Southern Sumatra. Biological Conservation 77:125–134.
  • Shine R, Harlow P, Ambariyanto, Boeadi, Mumpuni, Keogh S (1998) Monitoring Monitors: A Biological Perspective on the Commercial Harvesting of Indonesian Reptiles. In: Conservation, Trade and Sustainable Use of Lizards and Snakes in Indonesia (ed.) Erdelen W. Mertensiella 9: pp. 61-68.
  • Siswomartono D (1998) Review of the Policy and Activities of Wildlife Utilization in Indonesia. In: Conservation, Trade and Sustainable Use of Lizards and Snakes in Indonesia (ed.) Erdelen W. Mertensiella 9: pp. 23-31.
  • Traeholt C (1998) Exploitation and Trade of the Water Monitor Lizard (Varanus salvator) in Malaysia. In: Conservation, Trade and Sustainable Use of Lizards and Snakes in Indonesia (ed.) Erdelen W. Mertensiella 9, pp. 131-135.
  • Uyeda L, Iskandar E, Purbatrabsila A, Pamungkas J, Wirsing A, Kyes R (2014) Water Monitor Lizard (Varanus salvator) Satay: A Treatment for Skin Ailments in Muarabinuangeun and Cisiih, Indonesia. Biawak 8: 35-38.
  • Ueyda LT (2015) The Water Monitor Lizard Varanus salvator: Behavior, Ecology, and Human Dimensions in Banten, Indonesia. Dissertation, University of Washington.
  • Webb GJW,  Vardon MJ (1998) Reptile Harvests, Sustainable Use and Trade. In: Conservation, Trade and Sustainable Use of Lizards and Snakes in Indonesia (ed.) Erdelen W. Mertensiella 9: pp. 45-60.
  • Welton LJ, Siler CD, Bennett D, Diesmos A, Duya MR, Dugay R, Rico ELB, van Weerd M, Brown RM (2010) A spectacular new Philippine monitor lizard reveals a hidden biogeographic boundary and a novel flagship species for conservation. Biology Letters 6:654–658.

Ecological studies

  • Angelici F, Luiselli L (1999) Aspects of the ecology of Varanus niloticus (Reptilia, Varanidae) in Southeastern Nigeria, and their contribution to the knowledge of evolutionary history of Varanus niloticus species complex. Revue Ecologie (Terre Vie) 54: 29-42.
  • James CD (1996) Ecology of the Pygmy Goanna (Varanus brevicauda) in Spinifex Grasslands of Central Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology 44:177-192.
  • Pianka E (1994) Comparative ecology of Varanus in the Great Victoria Desert. Australian J. Ecology 19: 395-408.

Studies on the use and trade of Varanus spp.  

  • Abel F. (1998) Status, Population Biology and Conservation of the Water Monitor (Varanus salvator), the Reticulated Python (Python reticulatus), and the Blood Python (Python curtus) in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia – Project Report North Sumatra. Mertensiella 9: 111-117.
  • Arifin Z (1998) Development Policies of the Leather Industry in Indonesia. In: Conservation, Trade and Sustainable Use of Lizards and Snakes in Indonesia (ed.) erdelen, W. Mertensiella 9: 33-35.
  • Boscha E, Arida E, Yudha DS (2020) Dorsal Colour Patterns of Asian Water Monitor, Varanus salvator Collected for Trade in Cirebon, Indonesia. Journal of Tropical Ethnobiology 3: 133-138.
  • Ciofi C, de Boer M (2004) Distribution and conservation of the Komodo Monitor (Varanus komodoensis). Herpetological Journal 14:99–107.
  • Erdelen W (1991) Conservation and population ecology of monitor lizards: the water monitor Varanus salvator (Laurenti, 1768) in South Sumatra. Mertensiella 2:120–135.
  • Khatiwada JR, Ghimire BC (2009) Conservation status of Varanus flavescens in Chitwan, Nepal. Biawak 3:100–105.
  • Melisch R (1998) Wildlife Trade, Sustainnable Use, and Conservation Implications from a WWF and TRAFFIC Perspective. In: Conservation, Trade and Sustainable Use of Lizards and Snakes in Indonesia (ed.) Erdelen W. Mertensiella 9: 1-8.
  • Nijman V (2015) Water Monitor Lizards for Sale as Novelty Food in Java, Indonesia. Biawak 9: 28-32.
  • Riquier M (1998) Status, population biology and conservation of the Water Monitor (Varanus salvator), the Reticulated Python (Python reticulatus), and the Blood Python (Python curtus) in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia – Project Report Kalimantan. Mertensiella 9:119–129.
  • Setyawatiningsih SC (2018) The Indonesia’s water monitor (Varanus salvator, Varanidae) trading. SEMIRATA- International Conference on Science and Technology, IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1116: 052059, doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1116/5/052059
  • Shea GM, Cogger HG (1998) Comment on the proposed conservation of the names Hydrosaurus gouldii Gray, 1838 and Varanus panoptes Storr, 1980 (Reptilia, Squamata) by the designation of a neotype for H. gouldii. Bulletin for Zoological Nomenclature 55:106–111.
  • Shine R, Harlow PS, Keogh JS (1996) Commercial harvesting of giant lizards: the biology of Water Monitors Varanus salvator in Southern Sumatra. Biological Conservation 77:125–134.
  • Shine R, Harlow P, Ambariyanto, Boeadi, Mumpuni, Keogh S (1998) Monitoring Monitors: A Biological Perspective on the Commercial Harvesting of Indonesian Reptiles. In: Conservation, Trade and Sustainable Use of Lizards and Snakes in Indonesia (ed.) Erdelen W. Mertensiella 9: pp. 61-68.
  • Siswomartono D (1998) Review of the Policy and Activities of Wildlife Utilization in Indonesia. In: Conservation, Trade and Sustainable Use of Lizards and Snakes in Indonesia (ed.) Erdelen W. Mertensiella 9: pp. 23-31.
  • Traeholt C (1998) Exploitation and Trade of the Water Monitor Lizard (Varanus salvator) in Malaysia. In: Conservation, Trade and Sustainable Use of Lizards and Snakes in Indonesia (ed.) Erdelen W. Mertensiella 9, pp. 131-135.
  • Uyeda L, Iskandar E, Purbatrabsila A, Pamungkas J, Wirsing A, Kyes R (2014) Water Monitor Lizard (Varanus salvator) Satay: A Treatment for Skin Ailments in Muarabinuangeun and Cisiih, Indonesia. Biawak 8: 35-38.
  • Ueyda LT (2015) The Water Monitor Lizard Varanus salvator: Behavior, Ecology, and Human Dimensions in Banten, Indonesia. Dissertation, University of Washington.
  • Webb GJW,  Vardon MJ (1998) Reptile Harvests, Sustainable Use and Trade. In: Conservation, Trade and Sustainable Use of Lizards and Snakes in Indonesia (ed.) Erdelen W. Mertensiella 9: pp. 45-60.
  • Welton LJ, Siler CD, Bennett D, Diesmos A, Duya MR, Dugay R, Rico ELB, van Weerd M, Brown RM (2010) A spectacular new Philippine monitor lizard reveals a hidden biogeographic boundary and a novel flagship species for conservation. Biology Letters 6:654–658.

Ecological studies

  • Angelici F, Luiselli L (1999) Aspects of the ecology of Varanus niloticus (Reptilia, Varanidae) in Southeastern Nigeria, and their contribution to the knowledge of evolutionary history of Varanus niloticus species complex. Revue Ecologie (Terre Vie) 54: 29-42.
  • James CD (1996) Ecology of the Pygmy Goanna (Varanus brevicauda) in Spinifex Grasslands of Central Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology 44:177-192.
  • Pianka E (1994) Comparative ecology of Varanus in the Great Victoria Desert. Australian J. Ecology 19: 395-408.

Studies on the use and trade of Varanus spp.  

  • Abel F. (1998) Status, Population Biology and Conservation of the Water Monitor (Varanus salvator), the Reticulated Python (Python reticulatus), and the Blood Python (Python curtus) in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia – Project Report North Sumatra. Mertensiella 9: 111-117.
  • Arifin Z (1998) Development Policies of the Leather Industry in Indonesia. In: Conservation, Trade and Sustainable Use of Lizards and Snakes in Indonesia (ed.) erdelen, W. Mertensiella 9: 33-35.
  • Boscha E, Arida E, Yudha DS (2020) Dorsal Colour Patterns of Asian Water Monitor, Varanus salvator Collected for Trade in Cirebon, Indonesia. Journal of Tropical Ethnobiology 3: 133-138.
  • Ciofi C, de Boer M (2004) Distribution and conservation of the Komodo Monitor (Varanus komodoensis). Herpetological Journal 14:99–107.
  • Erdelen W (1991) Conservation and population ecology of monitor lizards: the water monitor Varanus salvator (Laurenti, 1768) in South Sumatra. Mertensiella 2:120–135.
  • Khatiwada JR, Ghimire BC (2009) Conservation status of Varanus flavescens in Chitwan, Nepal. Biawak 3:100–105.
  • Melisch R (1998) Wildlife Trade, Sustainnable Use, and Conservation Implications from a WWF and TRAFFIC Perspective. In: Conservation, Trade and Sustainable Use of Lizards and Snakes in Indonesia (ed.) Erdelen W. Mertensiella 9: 1-8.
  • Nijman V (2015) Water Monitor Lizards for Sale as Novelty Food in Java, Indonesia. Biawak 9: 28-32.
  • Riquier M (1998) Status, population biology and conservation of the Water Monitor (Varanus salvator), the Reticulated Python (Python reticulatus), and the Blood Python (Python curtus) in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia – Project Report Kalimantan. Mertensiella 9:119–129.
  • Setyawatiningsih SC (2018) The Indonesia’s water monitor (Varanus salvator, Varanidae) trading. SEMIRATA- International Conference on Science and Technology, IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1116: 052059, doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1116/5/052059
  • Shea GM, Cogger HG (1998) Comment on the proposed conservation of the names Hydrosaurus gouldii Gray, 1838 and Varanus panoptes Storr, 1980 (Reptilia, Squamata) by the designation of a neotype for H. gouldii. Bulletin for Zoological Nomenclature 55:106–111.
  • Shine R, Harlow PS, Keogh JS (1996) Commercial harvesting of giant lizards: the biology of Water Monitors Varanus salvator in Southern Sumatra. Biological Conservation 77:125–134.
  • Shine R, Harlow P, Ambariyanto, Boeadi, Mumpuni, Keogh S (1998) Monitoring Monitors: A Biological Perspective on the Commercial Harvesting of Indonesian Reptiles. In: Conservation, Trade and Sustainable Use of Lizards and Snakes in Indonesia (ed.) Erdelen W. Mertensiella 9: pp. 61-68.
  • Siswomartono D (1998) Review of the Policy and Activities of Wildlife Utilization in Indonesia. In: Conservation, Trade and Sustainable Use of Lizards and Snakes in Indonesia (ed.) Erdelen W. Mertensiella 9: pp. 23-31.
  • Traeholt C (1998) Exploitation and Trade of the Water Monitor Lizard (Varanus salvator) in Malaysia. In: Conservation, Trade and Sustainable Use of Lizards and Snakes in Indonesia (ed.) Erdelen W. Mertensiella 9, pp. 131-135.
  • Uyeda L, Iskandar E, Purbatrabsila A, Pamungkas J, Wirsing A, Kyes R (2014) Water Monitor Lizard (Varanus salvator) Satay: A Treatment for Skin Ailments in Muarabinuangeun and Cisiih, Indonesia. Biawak 8: 35-38.
  • Ueyda LT (2015) The Water Monitor Lizard Varanus salvator: Behavior, Ecology, and Human Dimensions in Banten, Indonesia. Dissertation, University of Washington.
  • Webb GJW,  Vardon MJ (1998) Reptile Harvests, Sustainable Use and Trade. In: Conservation, Trade and Sustainable Use of Lizards and Snakes in Indonesia (ed.) Erdelen W. Mertensiella 9: pp. 45-60.
  • Welton LJ, Siler CD, Bennett D, Diesmos A, Duya MR, Dugay R, Rico ELB, van Weerd M, Brown RM (2010) A spectacular new Philippine monitor lizard reveals a hidden biogeographic boundary and a novel flagship species for conservation. Biology Letters 6:654–658.

More recent publications including species-specific information on distribution, national conservation status and conservation issues are listed below under the respective species.

Varanus yemenensis

  • Aloufi AA, Amr ZS, Abu Baker MA, Hamidan N. 2019. Diversity and conservation of terrestrial, freshwater, and marine reptiles and amphibians in Saudi Arabia. Amphibian & Reptile Conservation 13(2) [General Section]: 181–202 (e204).

More recent publications including species-specific information on distribution, national conservation status and conservation issues are listed under the respective species.