Varanus mabitang GAULKE & CURIO, 2001
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Varanus mabitang
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| Higher Taxa | Varanidae, Platynota, Varanoidea, Anguimorpha, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | G: Mabitang, Panay-Waran |
| Synonym | Varanus mabitang GAULKE & CURIO 2001: 277 Varanus (Philippinosaurus) mabitang — BÖHME 2002 Varanus (Philippinosaurus) mabitang — KOCH et al. 2013 Varanus (Philippinosaurus) mabitang — BUCKLITSCH et al. 2016: 50 |
| Distribution | Philippines (Panay) Type locality: South Pandan Forest, ca. 250 m. elevation, Municipality of Pandan, Antique Province, NW Panay Island, Philippines. |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: PNM 7272, female |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis. V. mabitang can be distinguished from Varanus olivaceus Hallowell, 1856, as follows: (1) Dorsal side black with scattering of tiny yellow dots on the posterior end of some scales of neck, back, and extremities (vs. greenish gray with darker transverse bands across neck, back, and tail, and extremities irregularly mottled yellowish-olive and gray); (2) ventral surface of head, neck, tail, extremities, and belly dark gray to blackish (vs. grayish, grayish green, or yellow-gray with 3-4 longitudinal brownish black to black stripes on throat); (3) nuchal scales adjoining head scales smaller than these (vs. same size); (4) extremely small scales on neck, body, and tail, and consequently very high standard scale counts: scales from rictus to rictus 70 (vs. a maximum of 61, average 58,4), transverse rows of ventral scales from gular fold to a theoretical line connecting the insertion of hindlegs ventrally 124 (vs. a maximum of 121, average 109), transverse rows of dorsals from gular fold to a theoretical line connecting the insertion of hindlimbs dorsally 138 (vs. a maximum of 122, average 112), Tab. 1; (5) tail triangular in cross section, upper scale crest with a well defined, double, longitudinal keel (vs. irregular oval in cross section, low double keel on tail hardly discernible), Fig. 1; (6) head elongate, snout region slightly domed (vs. more massive with sloping snout region), Fig. 2; (7) cranial table with well developed bulges above temporal regions (vs. flat); (8) ventrals strongly keeled (vs. smooth or feebly keeled); (9) scales of tail strongly keeled throughout entire length (vs. tail scales close to vent smooth), Fig. 3; (10) exclusively vegetarian diet at least in the holotype (vs. a balanced molluscivorous-frugivorous diet). (Gaulke & Curio 2001) |
| Comment | Appears to be one of only two monitors which are primarily vegetarian (in addition to V. olivaceus which also feeds on fruit, among other food), although it also eats some animals. Habitat: arboreal |
| Etymology | Named after the name mabitang, which has been used for this species since generations within its range by the local people. The meaning is somewhat like big monitor lizard (in Kinarayan dialect). The name is used as invariable noun in apposition to the generic name. |
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