Alice Springs Desert Park
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Pictured here is the Spiny-tailed Goanna (Varanus acanthurus), that had entereded into the building and carefully removed and released back into the desert park.
The Spiny-tailed Goanna (Varanus acanthurus), also known as the Ridge-Tailed Monitor and the Spiny-tailed Monitor, is found in the arid ranges and outcrops, native to northern Australia, from Broome in the west, throught Northern Territory and to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Also known as the Ackie Dwarf Monitor, the Spiny-tailed Goanna is a small goanna that are known to grow to a length of up to 70 cm, with reports of some in the wild being up to 86 cm. The tail is about 1.3 – 2.3 times as long as the head and body combined.
The upper side of the Spiny-tailed Goanna is dark brown and with yellowish to cream spots, that often enclose a few dark scales. The tail of the Spiny-tailed Goanna is round in section and has very spinose scales (scales bearing spines).
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Reptilia
- Subclass: Lepidosauria
- Order: Squamata
- Suborder: Lacertilia
- Family: Varanidae
- Genus: Varanus
- Species: Varanus acanthurus
Footnote & References
- Varanus acanthurus Boulenger, 1885, Bushy Yate, Ridge-Tailed Monitor, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Varanus acanthurus
ASDP ReptilesBurton’s Legless Lizard Gidgee Skink Long-nose Dragon Perentie Spiny-tailed Goanna Thorny Devil
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