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Varanus melinus BÖHME & ZIEGLER, 1997

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Higher TaxaVaranidae, Platynota, Varanoidea, Anguimorpha, Sauria, Squamata (lizards)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Banggai Island monitor, Quince Monitor
G: Quittenwaran 
SynonymVaranus melinus BÖHME & ZIEGLER 1997: 26
Varanus melinus — AST 2001
Varanus (Euprepiosaurus) melinus — ZIEGLER et al. 2007
Varanus (Euprepiosaurus) melinus — KOCH et al. 2013
Varanus melinus — LIVIGNI 2013: 279, 416
Varanus (Euprepiosaurus) melinus — BUCKLITSCH et al. 2016: 50
Varanus (Euprepiosaurus) melinus — WEIJOLA & KRAUS 2023 
DistributionObi Is., Sula Is. (Indonesia)

Type locality: Obi Island, Moluccas, Indonesia.  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesHolotype: ZFMK 65737 (subad. male) 
DiagnosisDiagnosis: Ein Vertreter der V. indicus-Gruppe (sensu BöHME et al. 1994), der sich von V. indicus, V. jobiensis, V. doreanus und V. spinulosus durch die intensiv gelbe Grundfärbung von Kopf, Rumpf, Extremitäten und Schwanz unverwechselbar unterscheidet. Weiterhin ist er von V. indicus durch die unpigmentierte, fleischfarbene Zunge und das Fehlen jeglicher Bauchzeichnung, von V. doreanus ebenfalls durch die gänzlich ungezeichnete Unterseite und von V. doreanus und V. jobiensis durch das Fehlen einer türkis-bläulichen Schwanzfärbung unterschieden; gegenüber V. jobiensis und V. doreanus weist V. melinus deutlich niedrigere Werte der Schuppen rund um die Schwanzbasis (Q), rund um die Körpermitte (S), längs der Körperseite (XY) und rund um den Hals (m) auf (vergl. dazu BöHME et al. 1. c.). Von V. spinulosus unterscheidet sich V. melinus zudem durch das Fehlen einer dunklen Unterseite, eines dunkelbraunen bis schwarzen Dorsums, sowie durch das Fehlen grüner bis türkisfarbener Farbansätze; weiterhin ist V. melinus mit 124 bis 130 Schuppen rund um die Körpermitte gegenüber etwa 210 bei V. spinulosus abgegrenzt, wie letztlich auch aufgrund des Fehlens von durch weite Zwischenräume voneinander getrennten, sehr feinen, spitz-stachelförmig zulaufenden Nuchal- und Dorsalschuppen (MERTENS 1942, SPRACKLAND 1994). (Böhme & Ziegler 1997)


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CommentDistribution: see map in Weijola & Kraus 2023: 948 (Fig. 1). 
EtymologyNamed after Latin melinus = quince-yellow 
References
  • Ast, Jennifer C. 2001. Mitochondrial DNA Evidence and Evolution in Varanoidea (Squamata). Cladistics 17 (3): 211-226 [erratum in 18 (1):125] - get paper here
  • Auliya, M. 2003. HOT TRADE IN COOL CREATURES - A review of the live reptile trade in the European Union in the 1990s with a focus on Germany. TRAFFIC Europe, Brussels, Belgium, 112 pp. - get paper here
  • Bayless, M.K.; Adragna, J.A. 1999. The Banggai Island monitor. Notes on distribution, ecology, and diet of Varanus melinus. Vivarium 10(4):38-40
  • Böhme, Wolfgang 2014. Herpetology in Bonn. Mertensiella 21. vi + 256 pp. - get paper here
  • Böhme,W. 2003. Checklist of the living monitor lizards of the world (family Varanidae). Zoologische Verhandelingen 341: 6-43 - get paper here
  • Böhme,W. & ZIEGLER,T. 1997. Varanus melinus sp. n., ein neuer Waran aus der V. indicus-Gruppe von den Molukken, Indonesien. Herpetofauna 19 (111): 26-34 - get paper here
  • BUCKLITSCH, YANNICK; WOLFGANG BÖHME, ANDRÉ KOCH 2016. Scale Morphology and Micro-Structure of Monitor Lizards (Squamata: Varanidae: Varanus spp.) and their Allies: Implications for Systematics, Ecology, and Conservation. . Zootaxa 4153 (1): 001–192 - get paper here
  • Dedlmar, A.; Böhme, W. 2000. Erster Nachzuchterflog beim Quittenwaran, Varanus melinus Bohme and Ziegler, 1997. Herpetofauna 22 (127):29-34 - get paper here
  • FRÝDLOVÁ, PETRA and DANIEL FRYNTA 2010. A test of Rensch’s rule in varanid lizards. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 100: 293–306 - get paper here
  • Iskandar, Djoko T. and Walter R. Erdelen 2006. Conservation of amphibians and reptiles in Indonesia: issues and problems. Amphibian & Reptile Conservation 4 (1): 60-87 - get paper here
  • Koch A, Arida E, Schmitz A, Böhme W, Ziegler T. 2009. Refining the polytypic species concept of mangrove monitors (Squamata: Varanus indicus group): a new cryptic species from the Talaud Islands, Indonesia, reveals the underestimated diversity of Indo-Australian monitor lizards. Australian Journal of Zoology 57(1): 29-40 - get paper here
  • Koch A, Ziegler T, Böhme W, Arida E, Auliya M. 2013. Pressing Problems: Distribution, Threats, and Conservation Status of the Monitor Lizards (Varanidae: Varanus spp.) of Southeast Asia and the Indo-Australian Archipelago. Herp. Cons. Biol. 8 (Monograph 3): 1 − 62. - get paper here
  • Koch, Z.; Philipp, K. & Ziegler, T. 2010. The Monitor Man: A Story of Stunning Discoveries and Charismatic Creatures. Biawak 4 (4): 132-152 - get paper here
  • LiVigni, F. (ed.) 2013. A Life for Reptiles and Amphibians, Volume 1. Chimaira, Frankfurt, 495 pp. - get paper here
  • Machts, Tobias 2021. Enrichment für Reptilien – Unsere Quittenwaranhaltung (Varanus melinus) als Beispiel. Elaphe 2021 (6): 70-81
  • Pianka, E. R. and D. R. King, eds. 2004. Varanoid Lizards of the World. Indiana University Press, 599 pp - get paper here
  • Pianka, Eric R. 2012. Can humans share spaceship earth? Amphibian & Reptile Conservation 6 (1): 1-24 - get paper here
  • Schingen, Mona van; Thomas Ziegler 2014. First case of Siamese twins in the Quince Monitor Lizard Varanus melinus Böhme & Ziegler, 1997. Herpetology Notes 7: 723-729 - get paper here
  • Weijola V, Sweet S. S. 2015. A single species of mangrove monitor (Varanus) occupies Ambon, Seram, Buru and Saparua, Moluccas, Indonesia. Amphibian & Reptile Conservation 9 (1) [General Section]: 14–23 - get paper here
  • Weijola, Valter & Fred Kraus 2023. Two new species of monitor lizards (Squamata: Varanus) endemic to the Louisiade and Tanimbar Archipelagos with a key to the subgenus Euprepiosaurus. JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY 57 (13–16): 947–975
  • Weijola, Valter; Varpu Vahtera, Christer Lindqvist, Fred Kraus 2019. A molecular phylogeny for the Pacific monitor lizards (Varanus subgenus Euprepiosaurus) reveals a recent and rapid radiation with high levels of cryptic diversity. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 186 (4): 1053–1066 - get paper here
  • Ziegler, T., Schmitz, A., Koch, A. & W. Böhme 2007. A review of the subgenus Euprepiosaurus of Varanus (Squamata: Varanidae): morphological and molecular phylogeny, distribution and zoogeography, with an identification key for the members of the V. indicus and the V. prasinus species groups. Zootaxa 1472: 1-28 - get paper here
  • Ziegler, T.; Rütz, N.; Oberreuter, J. & Holst, S. 2010. First F2 Breeding of the Quince Monitor Lizard Varanus melinus Böhme & Ziegler, 1997 at the Cologne Zoo Aquarium. Biawak 4 (3): 82-92 - get paper here
  • Ziegler, Thomas; Wolfgang Böhme, Andreas Schmitz 2007. A new species of the Varanus indicus group (Squamata, Varanidae) from Halmahera Island, Moluccas: morphological and molecular evidence. Mitteilungen aus dem Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin 83 (S1): 109-119 - get paper here
 
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