Varanus Telenestes
Sprackland 1991
Rossel Island monitor.
Brandenberg (1983) noted that the populations of
emerald monitors (
Varanus prasinus) on some
islands off western New Guinea did not differ
markedly from those on the mainland. However
the isolated population on Rossel Island at the
eastern tip of the Louisiade Archipelago were considered a new species by Sprackland
(1990) and named
Varanus telenesetes. It has a mottled rather than unpatterned underside
and the enlarged scales on the soles of the feet are light rather than dark . Only a single
specimen is known which measures 21.7cm SVL, 42.5cm TL. Nothing is known of its way
of life.
Attribution / Courtesy:
Daniel Bennett. 1995. A Little Book of Monitor Lizards. Viper Press U.K.
