Varanus tsukamotoi KISHIDA, 1929

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Higher Taxa	Varanidae, Platynota, Varanoidea, Anguimorpha, Sauria, Squamata (lizards)
Subspecies
Common Names	E: Mariana monitor, Saipan monitor G: Maraiana-Waran Japanese: Tsukamoto Ohtokage
Synonym	Varanus tsukamotoi KISHIDA 1929 Varanus tsukamotoi — WEIJOLA et al. 2020 Varanus (Euprepiosaurus) tsukamotoi — WEIJOLA & KRAUS 2023
Distribution	Micronesia (Guam, Cocos Island, Saipan, Rota, Pagan, Tinian and Anatahan islands, Marshall Islands: Japtan Island) Type locality: Saipan, Caroline Islands
Reproduction	oviparous
Types	Neotype: USNM 576258, dessignated by Weijola et al. 2020. Additional specimens: Mariana Islands: Anatahan (USNM 212496); Cocos Island (USNM 494383); Guam (AMNH 137204, USNM 121793, 122462–63, 122465, 122468, 121796, 216368, 216869, 323717, 494380–82, 494582, 507452, 515827–29, 521160); Pagan (USNM 212489, 212491–93); Rota (AMNH 137202–03, 139986–88, USNM 122652–53, 285037); Saipan (SMF 30152–53, USNM 212487–88, 576257, 576259, ZMB 22645); Tinian (USNM 308067); indefinite locality (MNHN 1888 20); Marshall Islands: Enewetak Atoll, Japtan Island (AMNH 78994, USNM 124112–13).
Diagnosis	Diagnosis: Varanus tsukamotoi can be distinguished from all other members of the V. indicus group by its unique combination of: (i) dorsum black and covered with evenly distributed yellow scales, (ii) tongue dark blue/grey, (iii) yellow temporal stripe usually absent, (iv) low scale counts around the head (P: 31–40), tail base (Q: 54–74) and midbody (S: 101–126), and (v) usually prominent dark pigmentation in the gular region (Weijola et al. 2020).
Comment	Synonymy: Weijola et al. 2020 removed Varanus tsukamotoi from the synonymy of V. indicus. Distribution: see map in Weijola & Kraus 2023: 948 (Fig. 1).
Etymology	Kishida named this species in honour of Dr Iwasaburo Tsukamoto, who supported his expedition to the South Sea Islands.
References	Buden, Donald W.; Danko Taboroši, Maria Kottermair, Andrea Jalandoni & Matthew Martin 2020. Reptiles of the Northern Marshall Islands. Pacific Science 74 (2): 189-209 - get paper here Kishida, K. 1929. A new monitor from the island of Saipan, South Sea Islands. Lansania 1: 13-16 Weijola V, Vahtera V, Koch A, Schmitz A, Kraus F. 2020. Taxonomy of Micronesian monitors (Reptilia: Squamata: Varanus): endemic status of new species argues for caution in pursuing eradication plans. R. Soc. Open Sci. 7: 200092 - 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
External links	National Center for Biotechnology Information http://www.jcu.edu.au/dept/Zoology/herp/png/pngherp.html http://www.flickr.com/photos/hisno/6051658847/in/set-72157625373217395 http://www.kingsnake.com/oz/lizards/monitors/monitors.htm http://www.amonline.net.au/herpetology/research/pdf/varanidae.pdf http://monitor-lizards.net/species/index.html http://www.reptilespark.com/home/varanus/x.htm http://www.embl-heidelberg.de/~uetz/families/Varanidae.html http://www.curator.org/LegacyVMNH/VMNH_Publications/MuseumJournals/lizard… http://www.arod.com.au/arod/reptilia/Squamata/Varanidae/Varanus/indicus Google images

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