Draft:Rainbow rock monitor
| Rainbow rock monitor | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Anguimorpha |
| Family: | Varanidae |
| Genus: | Varanus |
| Subgenus: | Odatria |
| Species: | V. iridis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Varanus iridis | |
The rainbow rock monitor (Varanus iridis) is a species of dwarf monitor lizard found in the savannas of eastern Australia.
Taxonomy
The rainbow rock monitor was described in February 2026, following a 2025 field survey conducted by the Australian National University in northeastern Queensland, Australia. It was initially believed to be of the same species as the yellow-headed and orange-headed rock monitor, but genetic testing identified the three to be distinct.[1][2] They form a previously unrecognized clade, designated the "Varanus iridis species-group", within the subgenus Odatria, having diverged approximately 7 million years ago.[1]
Description
Rainbow monitor lizards are fairly small and slim compared to others in their genus. The holotype, a male, had a snout-vent length (SVL) of 143.7 millimetres (5.66 in). It is tan-brown in color and is covered in pale rings, with a pale tail and underside. Its head has a yellowish flush, and its nape has weak cyan tones.[1]
Distribution and habitat
The rainbow rock monitor is known from a small area near the town of Mount Surprise, within the Kidston subregion of the Einasleigh Uplands bioregion. Its habitat is dominated by granite boulders and eucalyptus trees, and has not been spotted in the open, pointing to a more secretive lifestyle.[1] The lizard's exact distribution and population is unknown.[2]
References
- ^ a b c d Zozaya, Stephen M; Read, Wesley J; Macor, Scott A; et al. (12 February 2026). "Three new species reveal an unrecognized clade of rock monitors (Varanidae: Varanus) from the eastern Australian savannas". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 206 (2). Oxford Academic. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf192. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
- ^ a b Lock, Lisa, ed. (12 March 2026). "Three new rock monitor lizard species discovered in northern Queensland". Phys.org. The Australian National University. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
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