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Varanus bengalensis nebulosus
The Bengal monitor has been said to reach nearly 175 cm with a snout-to-vent length of 75 cm and a tail of 100 cm. Males are generally larger than females. Heavy individuals may weigh nearly 7.2 kg and obese captives even more and the males grow to greater weight. Bengal monitors have external nostril openings (nares) that is slit-like and oriented near horizontal, and positions between the eye and the tip of the snout. The nares can be closed at will, especially to keep away debris or water. The scales of the skin are rougher in patches and on the sides, they have minute pits, especially well distributed in males. These scales with micropores have glandular structures in the underlying dermal tissue and produce a secretion which may be a pheromone-like substance. Like other varanids, Bengal monitors have a forked tongue that is protruded in the manner of snakes. The function is mainly sensory, and is not very involved in the transport of food down the throat. Bengal monitors have fat deposits in the tail and body that serve them in conditions when prey are not easily available. Bengal monitors are usually solitary and usually found on the ground, although the young are often seen on trees. V. b. nebulosus has a greater propensity for tree climbing.
I captured this on tree in the forest of Taman Nasional Baluran, Jawa Timur.
Spotted on Aug 15, 2010
Submitted on May 9, 2013
12 Comments
:-)
Terima kasih Scott, atas konfirmasinya. Saya kebetulan tinggal di daerah yang banyak biawaknya, sampai sekarang saya masih tidak tahu jenis apa saja. Untuk mudahnya, kalau makan ayam berarti termasuk biawak.... :)
Kesimpulan dari comment saya sebelumnya: Varanus bengalensis nebulosus = Varanus nebulosus. Cuma ada yang anggap itu tingkat "subspecies" (contoh pertama) dan juga ada yang lain anggap itu sebenarnya tingkat "species" (contoh kedua).
Tanpa saya dibaca lagi, biasanya kasus kaya begini adalah tanda bahwa dulu dianggap nebulosus adalah subspecies dari V. begalensis. Sekarang ada ahli yang anggap nebulosus bisa menjadi status species sendiri. Sebenarnya V. b. nebulous dan V. nebulosus adalah organisme yang sama cuma ada beda pendapat tentang tingkat dalam taksonomi diantara para ahli.
Agak bingung, tidak ada "Varanus bengalensis nebulosus" di eol.org http://eol.org/pages/790199/overview
Yang ada "Varanus bengalensis" dan "Varanus nebulosus" http://eol.org/pages/790009/overview
Menurut wiki http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biawak, jenis biawak yang ada di Jawa Timur adalah "Varanus nebulosus"
Thank you Alice..
Nice capture!
Maaf, saya sudah menyesuaikan :-)
Ok, makasih Frazier. Saya sudah tuliskan di kolom notes, juga referensinya.
Untuk data "Habitat" di PN, seharusnya menulis habitat/tempat dari spotting, bukan pakai deskripsi spesies yang umum. Jadi untuk soa soa ini bilang Taman Nasional Baluran, Jawa Timur. Juga kalau bisa ingat tipe ekosistemnya, mislanya "forest" atau "wetland" atau "by a river" dll, menambah itu juga. Itu sebenarnya caranya untuk habitat PN tetapi banyak anggota isis info umum pada hal itu gampang di dapat di Wikipedia atau situ lain. :-)
Oh no.. saya ambil dari Wiki penjelasannya... :( Saya tidak bisa menjelaskan tentang pengalaman saya sendiri..... Foto ini dari Taman Nasional Baluran, seharusnya itu di Jawa Timur. Tapi di MAP, masuk wilayah Bali.. Apakah harus saya hapus penjelasannya? Terima kasih Scott..
Hi Mona. Very nice spotting showing the placement of the nostrils which can be used to distinguish this species from the Asian water monitor if need be. Just a reminder, the habitat box is for describing where you saw YOUR spotting. This is important because the map often doesn't make it clear (e.g. Baluran or Bali?). General habitat info for the species, for example from Wikipedia, should not be copied into Habitat for PN spottings. It can be read from such a source that you can place in the reference links. Here's what PN's FAQs say: "Please state the actual habitat where you photographed the spotting - this information can then be used to track changes in habitat, such as those caused by human intervention or habitat destruction. Again, it is not necessary to state published habitat information here, this can be referenced in the 'reference links' box." http://www.projectnoah.org/faq Thanks