Canopy goanna | |
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Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Family: | Varanidae |
Genus: | Varanus |
Subgenus: | Hapturosaurus |
Species: | V. keithhornei
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Binomial name | |
Varanus keithhornei | |
Synonyms | |
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Varanus keithhornei, commonly known as the canopy goanna, Keith Horne's monitor, blue-nosed tree monitor, [4] or Nesbit River monitor, [5] is a species of monitor lizards native to northeast Australia. It is a member of the Varanus prasinus species group. [6]
This monitor lizard is found in a restricted area of less than 100 km2 near the Claudie and Nesbit rivers, in the McIlwraith and Iron Ranges of the Cape York Peninsula in northern Queensland. [2] [7] [8]
The colouration of V. keithhornei is dark black on the upper side. It has moderately big and smooth head scales. Its tail has no visible keel. [6] The canopy goanna is small for a monitor lizard, reaching a total length up to 77 cm, [9] but more robust than other species of the V. prasinus species complex, and can be further distinguished from them by its colour and the conical throat scales. [8]
Specimens were originally assigned to the species Varanus prasinus by Czechura in 1980, [8] but Wells and Wellington declared it a new species 5 years later.
They forage in the trees and the leaf litter for insects such as orthopterans, roaches, and beetles. [8]