quince monitor
{{Short description|Species of lizard}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{speciesbox
| name = Quince monitor
| image = Amneville Varanus melinus 27 08 2010 1.jpg
| image_caption = At Zoo d'Amnéville, France
| status = CITES_A2
| status_system = CITES
| status_ref = {{Cite web|title=Appendices {{!}} CITES|url=https://cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php|access-date=2022-01-14|website=cites.org}}
| status2 = EN
| status2_system = IUCN3.1
| genus = Varanus
| parent = Varanus (Euprepiosaurus)
| species = melinus
| authority = Böhme & Ziegler, 1997[http://data.gbif.org/species/13494744/ GBIF.org] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171431/http://data.gbif.org/species/13494744/ |date=March 3, 2016 }}[https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=716525 ITIS.gov]
}}
The quince monitor (Varanus melinus) is a species of monitor lizards endemic to Indonesia. It is very closely related to the mangrove monitor (Varanus indicus), with both belonging to the subgenus Euprepiosaurus.[http://monitor-lizards.de/species/euprepiosaurus/melinus.html Monitor-lizards.de] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719063056/http://monitor-lizards.de/species/euprepiosaurus/melinus.html |date=July 19, 2011 }}
Description
File:QuinceMonitor CincinnatiZoo.jpg]]
The quince monitor has a bright yellow head, legs, back and tail. There is black reticulation on the lower part of its neck. The tail has alternating bands of yellow and black which get pale toward the last third. Its tongue is light pink in color with little variation. The quince monitor's nostril is situated closer to the tip of its snout than to its eye. This species can reach {{convert|80|–|120|cm|ft|abbr=on}} in total length. A 20 year old male housed at the Cologne Zoo reached a total length of 129 cm, before suddenly dying of what was likely sepsis caused by an earlier bacterial infection.{{Cite journal |last1=Rauhaus |first1=Anna |last2=Ziegler |first2=Thomas |date=2020 |title=A Note on Longevity in the Quince Monitor in a European Zoo and Potential Needs for Maintaining a Sustainable Population Under Human Care |journal=Biawak |volume=14 |issue=1&2 |pages=32–34}}
This species is very similar in morphology to the mangrove monitor. Baby quince monitors will be darker in color and will gradually get brighter yellow with age.
Distribution
The quince monitor is likely endemic to the Sula Islands in Indonesia, but it reportedly may occur in Banggai.CITES Proposal: [http://www.cites.org/eng/cop/11/prop/43.pdf Transfer of Varanus melinus from Appendix II to Appendix I.] Prop. 11.43. Initially it was reported to originate from the Obi Islands, but this was only an intermediate wildlife trade station. It is threatened by habitat loss and collection for the wildlife trade.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Varanoidea}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q2017238}}
Category:Reptiles of Indonesia
Category:Reptiles described in 1997
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