Mertens's water monitor, Mertin's water monitor
Mertens' water monitor (Varanus mertensi) is a species of lizard native to northern Australia. This opportunistic predator is named after German herpetologist Robert Mertens.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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ScavengerScavengers are animals that consume dead organisms that have died from causes other than predation or have been killed by other predators. While sc...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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PrecocialPrecocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
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BurrowingA burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
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SemiaquaticSemiaquatic animals are those that are primarily or partly terrestrial but that spend a large amount of time swimming or otherwise occupied in wate...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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NatatorialNatatorial animals are those adapted for swimming. Some fish use their pectoral fins as the primary means of locomotion, sometimes termed labriform...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withMertens' water monitor is dark brown to black above, with many cream to yellow spots. The underparts are white to yellowish with grey mottling on the throat and blue-grey bars on the chest. The tail is strongly compressed laterally, with a high median dorsal keel, and is about 1.5 times the length of the head and body.
Mertens' water monitors are found across much of northern Australia. They occur from the Kimberley region of Western Australia, across the Top End of the Northern Territory and the Gulf Country, to the western side of the Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland. Mertens' water monitors live in riparian areas, in coastal and inland waters such as rivers and creeks.
Mertens' water monitors are strong swimmers, and seldom travel far from water. They often bask on midstream rocks and logs and on branches overhanging swamps, lagoons, and waterways. When disturbed, they drop into the water, where they can stay submerged for long periods. Mertens' water monitors feed on land and in the water. They have a good sense of smell which they use when searching for food; they may also dig up prey when foraging, including the eggs of freshwater turtles.
Mertens' water monitors are carnivores and scavengers. They feed mainly on fish, frogs, crabs, crayfish, shrimps, amphipods, and carrion, also taking terrestrial vertebrates, insects, spiders, and human rubbish when available.
Female Mertens' water monitors lay their eggs early in the dry season in burrows. The eggs hatch within 200-300 days after laying, depending on temperature. The young hatch well-developed and are able to enter the water and swim immediately.
Mertens’ water monitors are threatened by the spread of Cane toads through their range. After eating a Cane toad, the monitor will get poisoned and die by toxins present in the toad’s skin.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of Mertens' water monitor total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers today are decreasing.
