Dumeril's monitor

The specific name, dumerilii, is in honour of the French zoologist André Marie Constant Duméril.[7]

In Thailand, V. dumerilii is known by the common name, túdtū̀ (ตุ๊ดตู่), which is an animal that appeared in children's folk songs.[8]

Dumeril's monitor is found in southern Burma and north of the Isthmus of Kra to Kanchanaburi Province in Thailand,[9] as well as in Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, throughout Borneo, Sumatra, Riau, Bangka–Belitung and other smaller islands of Indonesia.[5]

The preferred habitat of V. dumerilii is dense evergreen forests with high humidity [10] and mangrove swamps,[11] at altitudes from sea level to 900 m (3,000 ft).[2]

V. dumerilii is a crab specialist;[9][12] however, it has been observed eating snails, other molluscs, insects, fish, frogs, turtle eggs, birds, and smaller rodents.[11][13] Little is known overall about this species compared to other monitor lizards.[14]

Adult Dumeril's monitors are largely dark brown, with occasional brighter indistinct crossbars. For juveniles the colors and patterns are quite different. "The major color is a dark varnish black which is interrupted by several yellow crossways bars on the back." The head of juveniles is shiny orange-red or sometimes yellow. This juvenile coloration disappears after only 4–8 weeks.[14] Adult Dumeril's monitors can reach up to 4.5 ft (1.4 m) in total length (including tail) although typical total length is 4 ft (1.2 m).

V. dumerilii is arboreal and diurnal.[2]

V. dumerilii is oviparous.[5] Clutch size is 4–23 eggs.[2] Hatchlings have a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of about 8 cm (3.1 in), and a tail slightly longer than SVL.[2]

There are two described subspecies:

• Varanus dumerilii dumerilii (Schlegel, 1839)
• Varanus dumerilii heteropholis Boulenger, 1892[4]

Note: Sprackland made V. d. heteropholis a synonym of V. d. dumerilii.[15]

• Amer, Sayed A. M.; Kumazawa, Yoshinori (2008). "Timing of a mtDNA gene rearrangement and intercontinental dispersal of varanid lizards". Genes Genet. Syst. 83: 275–280.
• Auffenberg W (1988). Gray's monitor lizard. Gainesville: University of Florida.
• Ávalos, J. de; Martínez Carrión, P. (1997). "Warane ". Reptilia (Münster) 2 (5): 16-21. (in German).
• Barbour T (1921). "Aquatic skinks and arboreal monitors". Copeia 1921 (1): 42-44.
• Boulenger GA (1885). Catalogue of lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume II ... Varanidæ ... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 497 pp. + Plates I-XXIV. (Varanus dumerilii, pp. 312–313).
• Brandenberg T (1983). Monitors in the Indo-Australian Archipelago. Leiden: E.J. Brill. 121 pp.
• Coborn, John (1987). Snakes and lizards: Their care and breeding in captivity. Newton Abbott: David and Charles Publishing.
• Cota M, Chan-ard T, Mekchai S, Laoteaw S (2008). "Geographical Distribution, Instinctive Feeding Behavior and Report of Nocturnal Activity of Varanus dumerilii in Thailand". Biawak 2 (4): 152-158.
• Cox MJ, van Dijk PP, Nabhitabhata J, Thirakhupt K (1998). A Photographic Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Ralph Curtis Publishing. 144 pp.
• Davis R, Darling R, Darlington A (1986). "Ritualised combat in captive V. dumerilii ". Herpetological Review 17 (4): 85-86.
• Davis RB, Phillips LG (1991). "A method of sexing Dumeril's monitor Varanus dumerili ". Herp. Review 22 (1): 18-19.
• Harrison JL, Boo-Liat L (1957). "Monitors of Malaya". Malay Nature Journal 12 (1): 1-10.
• Horn H-G, Schulz B (1977). "Varanus dumerilii, wie ihn nicht jeder kennt ". Das Aquarium 11 (9): 37-38. (in German).
• Lekagul B (1969). "Monitors of Thailand". Conservation News of S.E. Asia 8: 31-32.
• Losos JB, Greene HW (1988). "Ecological and evolutionary implications of diet in monitor lizards". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 35: 379-407.
• Mertens R (1942). "Die Familie der Waranae (Varanidae) ". Abhandlungen der Senckenberischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft 462; 465; 466. (in German).
• Nutphand W (no date). The Monitors of Thailand. Bangkok: Mitphadung Publishing Office.
• Pitman CRS (1962). "More snake and lizard predators of birds". Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 82 (3): 45-55.
• Radford L, Payne FL (1989). "The reproduction and management of Varanus dumerilii ". International Zoo Yearbook 28: 153-155.
• Raven HC (1946). "Predators eating green turtle eggs in the East Indies". Copeia 1946 (1): 48.
• de Rooij N (1915). The Reptiles of the Indo-Australian Archipelago. Leiden: E.J. Brill.
• Schlegel H (1839). Abbildungen neuer oder unvollständig bekannter AMPHIBIEN, nach der Natur oder dem Leben entworfen herausgegeben und mit einem erläuternden Texte begleitet. Düsseldorf: Arnz & Comp. xiv + 141 pp. (Monitor dumerilii, new species, p. 78). (in German).
• Smith MA (1922). "On a Collection of Reptiles and Batrachians from the mountains of Pahang, Malay Peninsula". Journal of the Federated Malay States 10: 263-282. (Varanus dumerilii, p. 269).
• Smith HC (1930). "The monitor lizards of Burma". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 34: 367-373.
• Taylor EH (1963). "Lizards of Thailand". University of Kansas Science Bulletin 44 (14): 687-1077. (Varanus dumerilii, pp. 915, 918-920).
• Sprackland RG (1976). "Notes on Dumeril's monitor lizard Varanus dumerili (Schlegel)". Sarawak Museum Journal 24 (45): 287-291.

• Photo of Dumeril's Monitor at Whozoo.org