Dampier Peninsula monitor
Kingdom
Phylum
Subphylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Varanus sparnus

The Dampier Peninsula monitor or Dampier Peninsula goanna (Varanus sparnus ), described in 2014, is the smallest known species of monitor lizard, growing up to 16.3 grams with a length of almost 23 cm and a SVL (snout to vent length) of 116 mm. It is believed to live only on the Dampier Peninsula of the Kimberley region north of Broome and Derby in Western Australia. It is highly active, making it difficult to photograph in the wild. It has short legs, an elongate body, a reddish-brown back with widely scattered black spots and "a ridged, circular and short prehensile tail."

Appearance

The smallest species of extant varanid.

Distribution

Geography

Countries
Biogeographical realms

Restricted to rocky habitat in the northwest of Western Australia.

References

1. Dampier Peninsula monitor Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dampier_Peninsula_monitor
2. Dampier Peninsula monitor on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/83778858/101752360

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