What kind of animal is a monitor?

monitor, (family Varanidae), any lizard of the genera Varanus or Lanthanotus in the family Varanidae. About 50 species of Varanus are recognized in the subfamily Varaninae. Most have an elongated head and neck, a relatively heavy body, a long tail, and well-developed legs. Their tongues are long, forked, and snakelike.

1. What type of creatures are monitors?
2. Is monitor an animal?
3. Is a monitor lizard a reptile or an amphibian?
4. Is a monitor lizard a dinosaur?
5. Are monitor lizards pets?
6. Are monitor lizards carnivores?
7. Is Komodo dragon and monitor lizard same?
8. Do monitor lizards eat snakes?
9. Do monitor lizards live in water?
10. Are monitor lizards mean?
11. Do monitor lizards bite?
12. Can monitor lizards harm humans?
13. Why is it called monitor lizard?
14. Are monitor lizards smart?

What type of creatures are monitors?

Monitor lizards are large lizards in the genus Varanus. They are native to Africa, Asia, and Oceania, and one species is also found in the Americas as an invasive species. About 80 species are recognized.

Is monitor an animal?

The Monitor Lizard is a large lizard belonging to the family Varanidae. There are 79 species of this reptile and they are native to Africa, Asia, and Oceania. ... Most monitor species are terrestrial and found on land but some species will live in trees or are semi-aquatic.

Is a monitor lizard a reptile or an amphibian?

Monitor lizards are a large species of lizards. Like other lizards, they are reptiles (class Reptilia).

Is a monitor lizard a dinosaur?

Megalania. Megalania is not a dinosaur. It is an extinct giant goanna (or monitor lizard) that once roamed southern Australia. ... Although Megalania seems to have disappeared sometime after 50,000 years ago, there are actually still reports of these animals to this day.

Are monitor lizards pets?

Although monitor lizards are sometimes kept as pets, they are still wild animals and should be treated as such. However, for the right person, monitor lizards can make ideal pets.

Are monitor lizards carnivores?

Monitor lizards are mostly carnivorous; some also scavenge on carrion.

Is Komodo dragon and monitor lizard same?

Komodo dragon, (Varanus komodoensis), largest extant lizard species. The dragon is a monitor lizard of the family Varanidae. It occurs on Komodo Island and a few neighbouring islands of the Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia.

Do monitor lizards eat snakes?

Water monitor lizards have forked tongues to assist their senses, big claws, sharp teeth, scaly skin, powerful legs, and strong tails. ... Monitors are carnivores, eating rodents, snakes, fish, birds, and other small creatures. They will also eat carrion.

Do monitor lizards live in water?

It is an animal that is obviously built for life in watery habitats. The water monitor lizard (Varanus salvator) is the second largest lizard in the world, outsized only by the massive Komodo dragon from Indonesia. The longest recorded water monitor lizard was from Kandy Lake in Sri Lanka.

Are monitor lizards mean?

Nile monitors are one of the most aggressive lizards found in the pet trade and do not make good pets unless you are a very experienced lizard keeper.

Do monitor lizards bite?

Humans bitten by common water monitors may be injected with venom, which produces a mild, but not fatal effect, as well as exposed to infectious bacteria. This monitor can also use its whip-like tail and sharp claws as weapons.

Can monitor lizards harm humans?

Monitor lizards by nature stay away from humans but when provoked, they can attack. According to an HT report, the statutory board of the Government of Singapore, National Parks Board (NParks), has said that the venom of monitor lizards has a mild effect on humans but they use their venom to kill small animals.

Why is it called monitor lizard?

Like the rest of their genus Varanus, the Nile monitor lizard and the Rock Monitor lizard stand on their hind legs to monitor their surroundings, hence their name.

Are monitor lizards smart?

Monitors

Monitor lizards are considered by many in the zoology world to be one of the most intelligent reptiles on the planet. ... Regardless of their size, monitor lizards display some impressive feats of intelligence. A study at the San Diego Zoo found that monitors can count a small collection of items.