Monitor lizard (English spelling)

A general term for lizards belonging to the family Varanidae in the order Squamata of the class Reptilia. This family Varanidae includes most of the large lizards, and there are about 31 species that are widely distributed in Africa, Asia Minor, tropical Asia, and Oceania. Some fossil species reached 5 meters in length, but the largest living species are the Komodo dragon Varanus komodoensis and the New Guinea monitor lizard V. salvadorii , which are about 3 meters in length, and the latter is said to be over 4 meters long. The same genus Varanus also includes small species less than 50 centimeters in length, such as the Australian monitor lizard V. brevicauda , ​​which is only 20 to 30 centimeters in length. Monitor lizards have similarities to snakes in terms of the structure of their skulls, and their tongues are long and slender with two prongs at the end. They have long and slender heads with powerful jaws and teeth. Its limbs are well developed and thick, with sharp claws on its fingers and a long, powerful tail that serves as a weapon for self-defense and for taking down prey. It lives in holes it digs in forests, grasslands and deserts, but it also climbs trees and likes to go into water. It feeds on insects, small animals, birds and crocodile eggs. Its fine scales and beautiful patterns have made it a valuable material for leather products, but its numbers have declined and all species are now protected.

[Takahiro Matsui]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

爬虫(はちゅう)綱有鱗目(ゆうりんもく)オオトカゲ科に属するトカゲの総称。この科Varanidaeは大形トカゲの大部分を含むグループで、約31種がアフリカ、小アジア、熱帯アジア、オセアニアに広く分布する。化石種には5メートルに達するものもあったが、現生種の最大はコモドオオトカゲVaranus komodoensis、ニューギニアオオトカゲV. salvadoriiの全長約3メートルで、後者には4メートルを超えるものがあるといわれる。また同属Varanusには全長50センチメートル以下の小形種も含まれ、オーストラリア産のミジカオオオトカゲV. brevicaudaなどは全長わずか20～30センチメートルにすぎない。オオトカゲは頭骨の構造などヘビとの類似点があり、舌も細長くて先が二つに分かれる。頭部は細長くて、力強いあごと歯がある。四肢が発達して太く、指には鋭いつめがあり、尾は長く強力で自衛の武器となり、獲物を打ち倒すにも役だつ。森林、草原、砂漠に穴を掘ってすむが、木にも登り、好んで水に入る。餌(えさ)は昆虫、小動物、鳥、ワニの卵などである。細かい鱗(うろこ)と美しい斑紋(はんもん)が皮革製品の材料として重用されてきたが、数が減少し、現在ではすべての種が保護の対象となっている。

［松井孝爾］

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