Filed under: Monitors, varanus | Tags: monitor, peacock, roti, timor, Varanus auffenbergi
Varanus auffenbergi
The peacock monitor was only described as a new species in 1999! But it’s not that different from Varanus Timorensis, or the Timor Monitor (Spotted Tree Monitor). The coloration and spot pattern as the only difference. The difference is the blue grey ocelli, whereas the Timors are creame colored, and they don’t have a pattern on their underside. The Peacock has some pattern on its bottom side. The color up top is dark grey. Numorous ocelli, (photoreceptor organs on animals; spots that sense light but not its direction). They have central spots, often light blue to grey. A red brown pattern is visible otherwise.
Strangely, these patterns fade after keeping in time in captivity.After this period, its hard to differentiate between the two.
In number, there are as many as there are Timors.
It’s length is up to 60 cm, or about 23.5 inches.The tail is relatively fat and round in cross section. Light scales form an irregular pattern.
The Peacock Monitor is mainly located on the island of Roti, Southwest of Timor.
In captivity they are relatively shy, but are not much different than taking care of the Spotted Tree Monitors.
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