Varanus salvator (Laurenti, 1768)

Figueroa, Alex, Low, Martyn E. Y. & Lim, Kelvin K. P., 2023, Singapore’s herpetofauna: updated and annotated checklist, history, conservation, and distribution, Zootaxa 5287 (1), pp. 1-378 : 129-131

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5287.1.1

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:78E23714-8973-4755-BC94-0A751D7D2B37

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7986036

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/88502B73-FF1A-B8F4-FF6B-434B7A860CF6

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Varanus salvator (Laurenti, 1768)
status

 

Varanus salvator (Laurenti, 1768) View in CoL — Native.

Stellio salvator Laurenti, 1768: 56 . Neotype: ZFMK 22092 About ZFMK , designated by Koch et al. (2007: 130). Type locality: “[h]abitat in America”; later designated as “Ceylon” (= Sri Lanka) by Mertens (1959: 234) later restricted to “Ceylon” (= Sri Lanka) via neotype designation .

Water Monitor

( Figure 15F View FIGURE 15 )

Singapore records.

Varanus salvator View in CoL — Flower, 1896: 873 (Blakan Mati [= Sentosa).— Hanitsch, 1898: 19.— Flower, 1899: 643.—Ridley, 1899: 206.— Hanitsch, 1910a: 5 (“Selitar” [= Seletar]).— Hanitsch, 1912b: 15.— Sworder, 1924a: 16, 20 (Pulau Ayer Merbau; Pulau Senang; Pulau Sudong).—Sworder, 1925a: 66.—D.S. Johnson, 1964: 26.— Chuang, 1973: 4.—Sharma, 1973: 233.—L.M. Chou et al., 1980: 71.— Gremli, 1988: 62.—K. Lim & F. Lim, 1988c: 75 (Lim Chu Kang Road).—K. Lim & F. Lim, 1989: 3 (Woodlands Town Garden).—Hall, 1989d: 33 (Pasir Panjang Hill).—K. Lim, 1989e: 39 (Sentosa).—K. Lim, 1989h: 64 (Pulau Hantu).—K. Lim, 1990a: 9 (Coralarium [Sentosa]).—K.K.P. Lim & L.M. Chou, 1990: 55.— Anonymous, 1991b: 13.—D.S. Johnson, 1992: 36.—K.K.P. Lim & Subharaj, 1992: 8 (Pulau Ubin; Sentosa; Sungei Kadut; Sungei Simpang Mangroves).—P.K.L. Ng, 1992a: 141.—P.K.L. Ng, 1992b: 141.—K.K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 1992: 98, 149.—W.K. Tan, 1992: 3.—Wee, 1992: 74 (Lower Peirce Reservoir Park).—L.M. Chou et al., 1994: 106.—J.K.Y. Low et al., 1994: 158.—R. Subaraj et al., 1995: 4 (Changi Jetty; Seletar North Peninsula [USNF]).—K. Lim, 1995: 17 (Sungei Buloh Nature Park [= SBWR]).—R. Subaraj, 1995: 35.— Metcalfe, 1996: 107 (refers to V. nebulosus ).— Manthey & Grossmann, 1997: 292.—Chan-ard et al., 1999: 29.— P.K.L. Ng & Sivasothi, 1999: 147.—E.K. Chua, 2000: 107.—E.K. Chua, 2002: 107.—B.P.L. Goh et al., 2002: 146.— Karns et al., 2002: 488 (Pasir Ris Park Mangroves).—K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 2002: 149.— Anonymous, 2003: 32, 92 (Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve).— Anonymous, 2007: 54 (Punggol Park).—E.K. Chua, 2007a: 35 (Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve).—H.T.W. Tan et al., 2007: 81.—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2008: 89, 160.—P.K.L. Ng et al., 2008: 169.— Anonymous, 2009: 76 (Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve).—M.F.C. Ng, 2009: 59, 109 (Semakau Landfill [PS]).—P.K.A. Ng, 2009: 61.—E.K. Chua, 2010: 21, 66, 154.— Das, 2010: 256.—H.T.W. Tan et al., 2010: 111.—D.C.J. Yeo et al., 2010: 195.— Anonymous, 2011a: 31 (Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve).—L.M. Chou, 2011: 75.—M.A.H. Chua, 2011: 281 (Semakau Landfill [PS]).— Corlett, 2011a: 47.—L.L. Grismer, 2011a: 157.—L.L. Grismer, 2011b: 697, 698.—P.K.L. Ng et al., 2011: 382.—D.L. Yong, 2011: 103 (Bukit Gombak).—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2012: 89, 160.— Davison et al., 2012: 108.—M.F.C. Ng, 2012: 69, 146 (Semakau Landfill [PS]).—Ananthanarayanan & I.S. Law, 2014: 291, 292 (Chinese Gardens; Swan Lake [SBG]).—K.K.P. Lim, 2014d: 225, 226 (Swan Lake [SBG]).—D.L. Yong et al., 2014: 202, 203.—Chan-ard et al., 2015: 142.—M.A.H. Chua, 2015a: 17 (Pulau Tekong).—R. Subaraj, 2015: 9, 25, 31, 38, 43, 46, 47, 55 (Mandai Range Forest; Night Safari; Singapore Zoo; Upper Seletar Peninsula [= USNF]).—S. Subaraj, 2015: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (Mandai Range Forest; Night Safari; Project Western Boundary [= MBP]; Singapore Zoo; Stephen Lee Woods [= RPN]; Upper Seletar Peninsula [= USNF]).—E.K. Chua et al., 2016: 90.—R. He, 2016 (Sungei Buloh [= SBWR]).—B.C. Ng & K.K.P. Lim, 2015: 51 (Orchidville Plant Nursery).—K.K.P. Lim et al., 2016: 179 (Pulau Tekong).—H.H. Tan, 2016a: 122 (Kent Ridge Park).—Thomas et al., 2016: 8 (Pulau Ubin).—W. Wong, 2017: 81.— Chiok, 2019: 40 (Pulau Ubin).—H.C. Ho et al., 2019: 124, 125 (Alexandra Woodlands; Clementi Forest).— H.T.W. Tan et al., 2019: 129, 130, 133 (Kent Ridge Park; National University of Singapore Kent Ridge Campus).—R.C.H. Teo & Thomas, 2019: 160, 180 (Bukit Timah Nature Reserve).—W. Cheong, 2020: 104 (River Safari).— Leo et al., 2020: 258.—K.K.P. Lim, 2020: 2.—C.J. Tan, 2020: 58 (Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve [Migratory Bird Trail]).—B.C. Ng, 2021: 134 (Pang Sua Woodland).—Riyanto & Rahmadi, 2021: 2936.—Sankar et al., 2021: 1 (Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve).— Bungum & Johns, 2022; 1–55.—E.K. Chua, 2022: 57, 166 (Pasir Ris Park; Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve; Tampines River).— Janssen & Sy, 2022: 172.— Kurniawan et al., 2022: 111.—M.L. Kwak & A. Ng, 2022: 929.—Trivalairat & Srikosamatara, 2022: 13.—K.H. Koh, 2023: 1 (Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve).

Hydrosaurus salvator —Saville-Kent, 1897: 96.— Anonymous, 2011b: 50.

“Monitor lizard”—Anonymous, 1947: 5 (Claymore Road).—Kow, 2021 ( Singapore Botanic Gardens).— Lay, 2021c (Ulu Pandan canal).—G.Z. Tan, 2021 (Ulu Pandan Park Connector).—Kow, 2022 (Pasir Ris Park).—Z.S. Kow, 2022 (Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve).

“Monitor lizards”— Harrison & Tham, 1973: 253.

Varunas [sic] salvator —F.L.K. Lim, 1984: 18.

Varanus (subgen. nov.) salvator salvator View in CoL — Denzer & Manthey, 1991: 319.

Varanus salvator salvator —R.C.H. Teo & Rajathurai, 1997: 386.— Bayless, 2004: 52.— Gaulke & Horn, 2004: 246.

Varanus salvator macromaculatus — Anonymous, 2008: 103 (Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve).— Cota et al., 2009: 135, 138.— Anonymous, 2012: 7 (Chinese Gardens).—M. Ng & Mendyk, 2012: 34– 37 (Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve).— Cota & Sommerlad, 2013: 64.— Anonymous, 2013: 49 (Japanese Gardens).

“Water Monitor Lizard”— Anonymous, 2014: 89 ( Singapore Polytechnic).—K.M. Ngo et al., 2022: 6.

Soterosaurus salvator —Pettit et al., 2021: 114.

Remarks. Flower (1896) was the first to record V. salvator from Singapore from an individual he collected at “Blakan Mati” (now Sentosa) in January 1896. He mentioned that Blanford (1881) reported it previously from Singapore, but Blanford did not state Singapore as a locality in his paper. As with other species, V. salvator went unreported for 39 years ( Table 2 View TABLE 2 ) between Sworder (1925a) and Johnson (1964). Following Johnson (1964), V. salvator has been reported numerous times from all throughout Singapore and its islands, except for PT where it is decidedly uncommon ( Lim et al. 2016). Records of V. salvator on PT are only from individuals captured on camera traps ( Lim et al. 2016). Varanus salvator is part of a species complex that spans from Sri Lanka east through SE Asia to the Moluccas and northern Philippines ( Koch et al. 2007). Recent and ongoing work has progressively been uncovering hidden species diversity, but the Singapore populations are still considered V. salvator ( Koch et al. 2007; Koch et al. 2010; Welton et al. 2014).

Occurrence. Ubiquitous. Common.

Singapore conservation status. Least Concern.

Conservation priority. Lowest.

IUCN conservation status. Least Concern [2021].

LKCNHM & NHMUK Museum specimens. Singapore (no locality) : ZRC.2.6334– ZRC. 2.6335 (no date); Bukit Timah Campus [ NUS] : ZRC.2.6732 (04-Aug-2008); Changi : ZRC.2.1897 (Sep-1927); Loyang : ZRC.2.2260(01-Nov-1979); Pasir Panjang NParks Nursery : ZRC.2.6168(13-Oct-2005); Pasir Ris Park : ZRC.2.6563 (18-Jul-2007); Pulau Ayer Merbau : ZRC.2.1895– ZRC.2.1896 (12-May-1921); Pulau Ubin : ZRC.2.1894 (23-Feb-1921); RAF Seletar [= Seletar Air Base] : BMNH 1983.955 (no date) ; Singapore Island Country Club Road : ZRC.2.6057 (15-Sep-2003) ; ZRC.2.6132 (22-Jan-2005) , ZRC. 2.6136 (13- Jun-2005); Sungei Buloh Nature Park [= SBWR] : ZRC.2.4760 (Nov-1999); Tyersall Road : ZRC.2.7125 (Dec-2015); Upper Seletar Reservoir Road : ZRC.2.6822 (26-May-2009) .

Additional Singapore museum specimens. Singapore (no locality): NMI, NMW, RMNH, SAMA, WAM, ZMH.

Singapore localities. Alexandra Woodlands—Bukit Gombak—Bukit Timah Nature Reserve—Changi—Changi Jetty—Chinese Gardens—Claymore Road—Clementi Forest—Japanese Gardens—Kent Ridge Park—Lim Chu Kang Road—Lower Peirce Reservoir Park—Loyang—Mandai Range Forest—National University of Singapore Bukit Timah Campus—National University of Singapore Kent Ridge Campus—Night Safari— Orchidville Plant Nursery—Pang Sua Woodland—Pasir Panjang Hill—Pasir Panjang NParks Nursery— Pasir Ris Park—Pasir Ris Park Mangroves—Pulau Ayer Merbau—Pulau Hantu—Pulau Semakau—Pulau Senang—Pulau Sudong—Pulau Tekong—Pulau Ubin—Punggol Park—River Safari—Seletar—Seletar Air Base—Seletar North Forest—Sentosa—Singapore Botanic Gardens—Singapore Island Country Club—Singapore Polytechnic—Singapore Zoo—Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve—Sungei Kadut—Sungei Simpang Mangroves—Tampines River—Tyersall Road—Ulu Pandan—Upper Seletar North Forest— Upper Seletar Reservoir Road—Woodlands Town Garden.

NHMUK

Natural History Museum, London

ZRC

Zoological Reference Collection, National University of Singapore

NMI

Bacteria collection of National Institute of Public Health, National Medicines Institute, Poland

NMW

Naturhistorisches Museum, Wien

RMNH

National Museum of Natural History, Naturalis

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Reptilia

Order

Squamata

Family

Varanidae

Genus

Varanus

Loc

Varanus salvator (Laurenti, 1768)

Figueroa, Alex, Low, Martyn E. Y. & Lim, Kelvin K. P. 2023
2023
Loc

Hydrosaurus salvator

Anonymous 2011: 50
2011
Loc

Varanus salvator macromaculatus

Cota, M. & Sommerlad, R. 2013: 64
Anonymous 2013: 49
Anonymous 2012: 7
Cota, M. & Mekchai, S. 2009: 135
Anonymous 2008: 103
2008
Loc

Varanus salvator salvator

Bayless, M. K. 2004: 52
Gaulke, M. & Horn, H. - G. 2004: 246
2004
Loc

Varanus (subgen. nov.) salvator salvator

Denzer, W. & Manthey, U. 1991: 319
1991
Loc

Varunas [sic] salvator

Lim, F. L. K. 1984: 18
1984
Loc

Hanitsch, R. 1912: 15
Hanitsch, R. 1910: 5
Flower, S. S. 1899: 643
Hanitsch, R. 1898: 19
Flower, S. S. 1896: 873
1896
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