Peach-throated monitor

The peach-throated monitor (Varanus jobiensis), also known as the Sepik monitor, is a species of monitor lizard native to New Guinea.

Taxonomy
Varanus jobiensis belongs to the subgenus Euprepiosaurus, which includes species such as the blue-tailed monitor and mangrove monitor, both of which it is sympatric with in much of its range.

It is likely that this species is actually a species complex of multiple different species that have been diverging since the Pliocene, and diverged from the V. indicus species complex 4.7 million years ago.

Distribution
Peach-throated monitors are endemic to New Guinea and surrounding islands such as Biak, Salawati, Yapen, Normanby, and Waigeo. It occurs in rainforests at altitudes of 0 - 900 m.

Description
Peach-throated monitors grow up to 120 cm in total length (including tail). The colour of the throat is white-yellow to red, to which one of its common names refers.

Diet
Peach-throated monitors primarily eat insects, and sometimes frogs, but may also take freshwater fish and small mammals.

As food
Peach-throated monitors are hunted for human consumption in New Guinea.

Reproduction
Peach-throated monitors are oviparous.



Etymology
The specific name, jobiensis, which is Latin, means "from Jobi". Jobi is the island also known as Yapen, which is the type locality of this species.

The junior synonym, Varanus karlschmidti, was named in honour of American herpetologist Karl Patterson Schmidt.