Varanus dumerilii Schlegel 1839
- Dataset
- Singapore’s herpetofauna: updated and annotated checklist, history, conservation, and distribution
- Rank
- SPECIES
Classification
- kingdom
- Animalia
- phylum
- Chordata
- class
- Reptilia
- order
- Squamata
- family
- Varanidae
- genus
- Varanus
- species
- Varanus dumerilii
description
Dumeril’s Monitor (Figure 15 D)
description
IUCN conservation status. Data Deficient [2021].
discussion
Remarks. At the time that Yong et al. (2008) filmed an adult V. dumerilii foraging at 2245 hrs at NSSF on 18 January 2008, V. dumerilii was only known from one historic record. That record was of a skull deposited at HNHM that was collected by Xantus (de Fejérváry 1935). Since no records were reported after, V. dumerilii was considered extirpated from Singapore (Bennett 1995). Thus, Yong et al. (2008) record constitutes a rediscovery of V. dumerilii in Singapore after 73 years (Table 2). Here, we present five additional records. Two records are from museum specimens, SAMA R 15537 and ZMH R 07222, both which contain no useful data. The other three records are of a juvenile photographed on 5 August 2012 (A. Ibrahim pers. comm.), an adult photographed on 26 December 2015 (I. S. Law pers. comm.; Fig. 15 D), both at NSSF, and an adult filmed on a road at Upper Seletar on 14 October 2022 (Lui 2022). These latter records confirm the presence of V. dumerilii in Singapore and offers that a viable population exists. Varanus dumerilii is an uncommon species that seems to prefer mangroves or riparian areas in mature forests and feeds predominately on crabs (Grismer 2011 b). Targeted surveys are required to establish the population status of V. dumerilii in Singapore and determine whether the population is self-sustaining. Occurrence. Known from three museum specimens, and three records from NSSF after 2008. Rare.
materials_examined
LKCNHM & NHMUK Museum specimens. No specimens. Additional Singapore museum specimens. Singapore (no locality): SAMA, ZMH. Singapore localities. Nee Soon Swamp Forest — Upper Seletar.
materials_examined
Singapore conservation status. Critically Endangered. Conservation priority. Highest.
materials_examined
Singapore records.