Varanus samarensis KOCH, GAULKE & BÖHME, 2010
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Varanus samarensis?
Varanus samarensis
Find more photos by Google images search: 
| Higher Taxa | Varanidae, Platynota, Varanoidea, Anguimorpha, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Samar water monitor |
| Synonym | Varanus cumingi samarensis KOCH, GAULKE & BÖHME 2010 Varanus samarensis — WELTON et al. 2014 Varanus (Soterosaurus) samarensis — BUCKLITSCH et al. 2016: 50 |
| Distribution | Phlippine Islands (Samar, Leyte, Bohol) Type locality: San Augustin near Gandara, Samar Island, Philippines |
| Reproduction | oviparous (manual imputation, fide Zimin et al. 2022) |
| Types | Holotype: ZFMK 64713 (Figs. 9–12), a subadult male, collected by M. Gaulke 1989. Paratype. ZFMK 64712 (Fig. 13), an adult female, Tiomonan near Gandara, Samar Island, Philippines, collected by M. Gaulke 1989 |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: A subspecies of V. cumingi clearly distinguished from the nominotypic form by the following combination of characters: (1) A distinctive dorsal colour pattern of five to eight transverse rows of large yellow ocelli, spots, or markings on a black ground colour; (2) predominantly black dorsal side of the head with a varying extent of more-or-less symmetrical yellow markings; (3) black temporal streak sometimes bordered below by a bright stripe; and (4) no bright medio-dorsal stripe on neck and back. (5) Nostrils’ position on average about two and half times closer to the tip of the snout than to the eye (index 2 = 2.00–3.29, mean = 2.41). For details about scalation features and colour pattern of the remaining Philippine members of the V. salvator complex please refer to Tables 3 and 5 in KOCH et al. 2010. |
| Comment | |
| Etymology | V. cumingi has been named after the collector of the type, “Mr. H. Cuming”. The subspecific epithet samarensis refers to the type locality Samar Islands, Philippines. |
| References |
|
| External links |