FUNNY REPTILE VIDEO - Monitor Lizards
Like 1 Dislike 0 Published on 30 Jun 2013
Who said Reptiles don't have feelings? These two Monitor Lizards make a very nice couple!
Monitor lizards are generally large reptiles, although some can be as small as 20 centimetres (7.9 in) in length. They have long necks, powerful tails and claws, and well-developed limbs. Most species are terrestrial, but arboreal and semiaquatic monitors are also known. Almost all monitor lizards are carnivorous, although Varanus bitatawa, Varanus mabitang and Varanus olivaceus are also known to eat fruit. They are oviparous, laying from seven to 37 eggs, which they often cover with soil or protect in a hollow tree stump.
Monitor lizards differ greatly from other lizards in several ways, possessing a relatively high metabolic rate for reptiles, and several sensory adaptations that benefit the hunting of live prey. Recent research indicates the varanid lizards may have some venom.This discovery of venom in monitor lizards, as well as in agamid lizards, led to the Toxicofera hypothesis: that all venomous lizards and snakes share a common venomous ancestor.
During the late Cretaceous era, monitor lizards or their close relatives are believed to have evolved into amphibious and then fully marine forms, the mosasaurs, which reached lengths of up to 17 m.
Snakes were believed to be more closely related to monitor lizards than any other type of extant reptile, however, it has been more recently proposed that snakes are the sister group of the clade of iguanians and anguimorphs.
During the Pleistocene epoch, giant monitor lizards lived in Southeast Asia and Australasia, the best known fossil being the megalania (Varanus priscus unless it falls in its own genus, in which case it is Megalania prisca). This species is an iconic member of the Pleistocene megafauna of Australia.
Some monitor lizards, including the Komodo dragon, are capable of parthenogenesis.
Monitor lizards have become a staple in the reptile pet trade. The most commonly kept monitors are the savannah monitor and Ackies monitor, due to their relatively small size, low cost, and relatively calm dispositions with regular handling. Black throated monitors, white throated monitors, water monitors, Nile monitors, mangrove monitors, emerald tree monitors, black tree monitors, acanthurus monitors, quince monitors, crocodile monitors and Komodo dragons have been kept in captivity.Like all reptiles kept as pets, monitors need an appropriately sized enclosure, hiding places, and an appropriate substrate.Some water monitors also need a large water dish in which they can soak their entire bodies.In the wild, monitors will eat anything they can overpower, but crickets, superworms, feeder fish, and the occasional rodent (for calcium) make up most of the smaller captive monitors' diet. Boiled eggs, silkworms and earthworms can also be fed to them. Larger species, such as Nile monitors, Asian water monitors, crocodile monitors, perenties, and Komodo dragons will eventually require larger prey. Paleontologist and biology professor at Temple University, Michael Balsai has observed V. prasinus eating fruit in captivity as has herpetologist and author, Robert G. Sprackland.