Finsch's monitor (Varanus finschi ) is a species of monitor lizard in the family Varanidae. The species is found in New Guinea and Australia.
The specific name, finschi, is in honor of German naturalist Friedrich Hermann Otto Finsch (1839-1917).
The dorsal pattern of Varanus finschi adults consists of "black ocelli, which are often arranged in irregular transverse rows - with a yellowish center on a dark grayish background." The dark head of V. finschi is speckled with many yellowish spots. Its tongue color is pink.
Finsch's monitor was only known from Blanche Bay, Ralum, and Massawa in New Britain. Further research on the available museum specimens enlarged the range of the species, which currently includes the Bismarck Archipelago (New Ireland), New Guinea and Queensland, Australia. The specimen from Queensland lacks any fixed data on its locality, so the exact distribution of Finsch's monitor in Northern Australia remains unknown.
Varanus finschi is found in several habitats: mangrove forest, inland forest, fresh-cut clearings, coconut plantations, and rocky beaches.
