Australia. Guide to Australia

Varan Mertens ( Varanus mertensi) - Kind of a family of lizards lizards, living in the rocky gorges along the river, next to the reservoir, swamps and lagoons in the east of Western Australia to the west Квинсленда.

Varan Mertens is very strongly associated with water and most of the time in the water,rarely leaving the water for more than a few meters. When danger lurks in the monitor lizard and water and can stay underwater for a long time. Varan Mertens perfectly adapted to the semi-aquatic way of life and can remain active at low body temperature.

Mertens is not a big goanna lizard,reach a length of up to 160 We see a long tail lizard Mertens, which is strongly squeezed from the sides and has a high keel, which shows the adaptation to life in the water. The location of the nostrils at the top of the muzzle is also a sign of a semi-aquatic lifestyle. The distance between the nostrils and the eye is about twice as long, than the distance between the nostrils and the tip of the muzzle.

The main colouring upper body monitor lizard Mertens is dark olive green or dark brown, to black. Numerous cream or pale yellow spots, surrounded by black scales, randomly scattered on the back. The lower surface of the body is white to yellowish with gray spots on the throat and bluish-gray cross stripes on the chest and abdomen. Throat light yellow. A narrow bluish stripe runs along the upper jaw, under the ear, along the neck to the shoulder girdle. The body scales are small and smooth. Around the middle of the torso located 150-190 series scales. Scales of the tail a little motor and does not form the right rings, because the scales on the underside of the more, than on the top.

A large portion of food monitor in water produces Mertens, eating crustaceans (crabs, crayfish, shrimp and amphipods), aquatic and terrestrial insects (Orthoptera, dragonflies, beetles and bugs) and their larvae, spiders, fish, frogs, reptiles, mammals, and the eggs of birds and turtles.

About breeding Varan Mertens in the wild, little is known. Between males and females were no significant differences in external. Monitors, contained in outdoor aviaries in Queensland, laid eggs in March, burying them in the nest hole depth of about 50 см. Most breeding occurs in the dry season, but it may occur in other seasons. In captivity have been noted to contain masonry 14 eggs. The eggs are six×3,5 см. Newborns reach 24-27 cm in length and weigh about 24-28 g.cm