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Varanus acanthurus BOULENGER, 1885

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Higher TaxaVaranidae, Platynota, Varanoidea, Anguimorpha, Sauria, Squamata (lizards)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Ridgetail Monitor
G: (Roter) Stachelschwanzwaran 
SynonymVaranus acanthurus acanthurus BOULENGER 1885
Odatria ocellata GRAY 1845: 8 (non Varanus ocellatus HEYDEN 1830)
Regenia ocellata — GÜNTHER 1861: 60
Varanus ocellatus — BLANFORD 1870: 445
Varanus acanthurus BOULENGER 1885: 324 (nom. nov. pro Odatria ocellata)
Varanus acanthurus brachyurus STERNFELD 1919
Varanus acanthurus brachyurus — STERNFELD 1925: 239
Varanus acanthurus — STORR 1980
Varanus acanthurus — COGGER 1983
Worrellisaurus acanthurus — WELLS & WELLINGTON 1985: 22
Worrellisaurus brachyurus — WELLS & WELLINGTON 1985: 22
Varanus acanthurus acanthurus — DE LISLE 1996: 116
Varanus acanthurus brachyurus — DE LISLE 1996: 116
Varanus acanthurus — COGGER 2000: 359
Varanus acanthurus brachyurus — BÖHME 2003: 29
Varanus acanthurus brachyurus — ARTH 2007
Varanus (Odatria) acanthurus — BUCKLITSCH et al. 2016: 50
Varanus acanthurus — PAVÓN-VÁZQUEZ et al. 2022 
DistributionAustralia (Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia)

acanthurus: NW Australia; Type locality: northwest coast of Australia.

brachyurus: remaining area; Type locality: Hermannsburg, Finke River, central Australia [Northern Territory].  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesHolotype: BMNH 1946.8.30.97 (cited in error by Cogger et al., 1983 as 1945.8.30.97) (formerly i.2a)
Holotype: BMNH 1945.8.30.97 [Odatria ocellata]
Lectotype: SMF 11640 (formerly 5324a), from Hermannsburg Mission, upper Finke River, N. T., designated by Mertens 1967 [brachyurus] 
DiagnosisAdditional details, e.g. a detailed description or comparisons (1258 characters), are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. 
CommentSynonymy: Some recent authors considered V. a. brachyurus as a synonym of V. acanthurus (Glenn Shea, pers. comm., Feb 2019, Pavón-Vázquez et al. 2022). 
EtymologyPresumably named after the Greek akantha (thorn) plus oura (tail), referring to the spinose scales covering the tail. (G. Shea, pers. comm., 9 Feb 2024) 
References
  • Abraham, G. 1980. Varanus acanthurus. Sauria 2 (2): 1-2 - get paper here
  • Adragna, J. & Madden, G.M. 2009. Mending a Ruptured Varanus acanthurus brachyurus egg. Biawak 3 (4): 144-146 - get paper here
  • Amer, Sayed A. M. and Yoshinori Kumazawa 2008. Timing of a mtDNA gene rearrangement and intercontinental dispersal of varanid lizards. Genes Genet. Syst. 83: 275–280 - get paper here
  • Arth, S. 2007. Keeping and breeding the spiny-tailed Monitor Varanus acanthurus. Reptilia (GB) (50): 28-36 - get paper here
  • Arth, S. 2007. Haltung und Nachzucht des Stachelschwanzwarans (Varanus acanthurus). Reptilia (Münster) 12 (63): 24-33 - get paper here
  • Ávalos, J. de & Martínez Carrión, P. 1997. Warane. Reptilia (Münster) 2 (5): 16-21 - get paper here
  • Bennet, D.F. 2003. Australian Monitors. Reptilia (GB) (30): 12-19 - get paper here
  • Bennet, D.F. 2003. Australische Warane. Reptilia (Münster) 8 (43): 18-25 - get paper here
  • Blanford, W.T. 1870. Observations of the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, made 1867-68. McMillan (London), xii + 487 pp. - get paper here
  • Bonetti, Mathilde 2002. 100 Sauri. Mondadori (Milano), 192 pp. - get paper here
  • Boulenger, G.A. 1885. Catalogue of the lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Vol. 2, Second edition. London, xiii+497 pp. - get paper here
  • Branch, W. R. 1982. Hemipeneal Morphology of Platynotan Lizards. Journal of Herpetology 16 (1): 16-38 - 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
  • Cogger, H. G. 2014. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, 7th ed. CSIRO Publishing, xxx + 1033 pp. - get paper here
  • Cogger, H.G. 2000. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, 6th ed. Ralph Curtis Publishing, Sanibel Island, 808 pp.
  • Dobry, J., Wapstra, E., Stringer, E.J. et al. 2023. Widespread chromosomal rearrangements preceded genetic divergence in a monitor lizard, Varanus acanthurus (Varanidae). Chromosome Res 31, 9 (2023) - get paper here
  • Doody, J. Sean, Clulow, Simon, McHenry, Colin, Brown, Mike, Vas, Gary and Canning, Gordon 2017. Varanus acanthurus (Spiny-tailed Monitor Lizard) Communal nesting, reproduction, and commensalism. Herpetological Review 48 (1): 203 - get paper here
  • Eidenmüller, B. 1994. Bemerkungen zur Haltung und Zucht von Varanus acanthurus Boulenger, 1885, V. storri Mertens, 1966 und V. gilleni Lucas & Frost, 1895. Herpetofauna 16 (88): 06-12 - get paper here
  • Eidenmüller, B. 2007. Small monitors in the terrarium. Reptilia (GB) (50): 12-19 - get paper here
  • Eidenmüller, B. 2007. Kleinwarane im Terrarium. Reptilia (Münster) 12 (63): 16-23 - get paper here
  • Eidenmüller, Bernd 2013. Von Darwin nach Alice Springs – der Warane wegen. Draco 13 (53): 55-61 - get paper here
  • Erdfelder, K.-H. 1984. Haltung und Zucht des Stachelschwanzwarans - Varanus acanthurus. Sauria 6 (1): 9-11 - get paper here
  • FITCH, A.J.; A. E. GOODMAN and S. C. DONNELLAN 2005. Isolation and characterisation of microsatellite markers for the Australian monitor lizard, Varanus acanthurus (Squamata: Varanidae) and their utility in other selected varanid species. Molecular Ecology Notes 5: 521–523 - get paper here
  • Fitch, A.J.; Goodman, A.E.; Donnellan, S.C. 2006. A molecular phylogeny of the Australian monitor lizards (Squamata: Varanidae) inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences. Australian Journal of Zoology 54 (4):253-269. - 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
  • Gray, J. E. 1845. Catalogue of the specimens of lizards in the collection of the British Museum. Trustees of die British Museum/Edward Newman, London: xxvii + 289 pp. - get paper here
  • Günther, A. 1861. On the anatomy of Regenia ocellata. Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1861: 60-62 - get paper here
  • Hörenberg, Thomas & André Koch 2013. Die Zwergwarane der Untergattung Odatria Gray, 1838. Draco 13 (53): 6-19 - get paper here
  • Iannucci, Alessio; Marie Altmanová, Claudio Ciofi, Malcolm Ferguson-Smith, Massimo Milan, Jorge Claudio Pereira, James Pether, Ivan Rehák, Michail Rovatsos, Roscoe Stanyon, Petr Velenský, Petr Ráb, Lukáš Kratochvíl & Martina Johnson Pokorná 2019. Conserved sex chromosomes and karyotype evolution in monitor lizards (Varanidae). Heredity 123, 215–227 - get paper here
  • King M; Horner P 1987. A new species of monitor (Platynota: Reptilia) from northern Australia and a note on the status of Varanus acanthurus insulanicus Mertens. The Beagle 4 (1) 1987: 73-79
  • King, D. & L. Rhodes 1982. Sex ratio and breeding season of Varanus acanthurus Copeia 1982 (4): 784-787. - get paper here
  • King, M.; Mengden, G.A.; King, D. 1982. A pericentric-inversion polymorphism and s ZZ/ZW sex-chromosome system in Varanus acanthurus Boulenger analyzed by G-and C-banding and Ag staining. Genetica 58 (1): 39-45. - get paper here
  • Lipfert, J. A. Dickhoff 2006. Der Stachelschwanzwaran (Varanus acanthurus). Natur und Tier Verlag (Münster), 64 pp. - get paper here
  • Matsubara Kazumi; Stephen D Sarre; Arthur Georges, Yoichi Matsuda, Jennifer A. Marshall Graves; Tariq Ezaz 2014. Highly Differentiated ZW Sex Microchromosomes in the Australian Varanus Species Evolved through Rapid Amplification of Repetitive Sequences. Plos One 9(4): e95226 - get paper here
  • McCurry MR, Mahony M, Clausen PD, Quayle MR, Walmsley CW, Jessop TS, et al. 2015. The Relationship between Cranial Structure, Biomechanical Performance and Ecological Diversity in Varanoid Lizards. PLoS One 10 (6): e0130625. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0130625 - get paper here
  • MENDYK, R.W. 2007. Varanus acanthurus (Ridge-tailed Monitor) Spontaneous Pneumoperitoneum. Biawak 1 (2): 85-88 - get paper here
  • Mertens, R. 1942. Die Familie der Warane (Varanidae), 3. Teil: Taxonomie. Abh. Senckenb. naturf. Ges., 466: 235-391
  • Mertens, R. 1958. Bemerkungen über die Warane Australiens. Senckenbergiana biologica 39: 229-264
  • Mertens, R. 1967. Die herpetologische Sektion des Natur-Museums und Forschungs-Institutes Senckenberg in Frankfurt am Main nebst einem Verzeichnis ihrer Typen. Senckenbergiana Biologica 48: 1-106 - get paper here
  • Ollonen, J., Khannoon, E. R., Macrì, S., Vergilov, V., Kuurne, J., Saarikivi, J., ... & Di-Poï, N. 2024. Dynamic evolutionary interplay between ontogenetic skull patterning and whole-head integration. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 1-16 - get paper here
  • Pavón-Vázquez, Carlos J, Damien Esquerré, Alison J Fitch, Brad Maryan, Paul Doughty, Stephen C Donnellan, and J Scott Keogh. 2022. Between a Rock and a Dry Place: Phylogenomics, Biogeography, and Systematics of Ridge-Tailed Monitors (Squamata: Varanidae: Varanus Acanthurus Complex). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 173: 107516 - get paper here
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  • Ramm, Till 2013. „Red Ackies“ – die Haltung und Nachzucht des Roten Stachelschwanzwarans, Varanus acanthurus. Draco 13 (53): 63-68 - get paper here
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  • Sternfeld, R. 1925. Beiträge zur Herpetologie Inner-Australiens. Abhandlungen Herausgegeben von der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft, 38: 221—251
  • Storr G M 1980. The monitor lizards (genus Varanus Merrem, 1820) of Western Australia. Rec. West. Aust. Mus. 8 (2): 237-293 - get paper here
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  • ZDUNEK, PRZEMYSŁAW & KRZYSZTOF KOLENDA. 2022. The threat of discarded food and drinks containers to monitor lizards. The Herpetological Bulletin 161: 28–30. - get paper here
  • ZIEGLER, THOMAS; ANNA RAUHAUS & IRI GILL 2016. A Preliminary Review of Monitor Lizards in Zoological Gardens. Biawak 10 (1): 26 - get paper here
 
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