Perentie
Encyclopedia
The Perentie is the largest monitor lizard
Monitor lizard
Monitor lizards are usually large reptiles, although some can be as small as in length. They have long necks, powerful tails and claws, and well-developed limbs. Most species are terrestrial, but arboreal and semiaquatic monitors are also known...

 or goanna
Goanna
Goanna is the name used to refer to any number of Australian monitor lizards of the genus Varanus, as well as to certain species from Southeast Asia.There are around 30 species of goanna, 25 of which are found in Australia...

 native to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

, and fourth largest lizard on earth, after the Komodo Dragon
Komodo dragon
The Komodo dragon , also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large species of lizard found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and Gili Dasami. A member of the monitor lizard family , it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum length of in rare cases...

, crocodile monitor
Varanus salvadorii
Varanus salvadorii is a monitor lizard found in New Guinea. It is also known by the common names Salvadori's monitor, Crocodile monitor, Papua monitor, and Artellia. The largest monitor lizard in New Guinea, it is believed to be one of the longest lizards in the world, reaching up to . It is the...

 and the water monitor
Water monitor
The Water monitor, is a large species of monitor lizard capable of growing to in length, with the average size of most adults at long. Maximum weight of Varanus salvator can be over , but most are half that size. Their body is muscular with a long, powerful, laterally compressed tail...

. Found west of the Great Dividing Range
Great Dividing Range
The Great Dividing Range, or the Eastern Highlands, is Australia's most substantial mountain range and the third longest in the world. The range stretches more than 3,500 km from Dauan Island off the northeastern tip of Queensland, running the entire length of the eastern coastline through...

 in the arid areas of Australia, they are not a common sight on account of their shyness and remoteness of much of their range from human habitation.

Their status in indigenous Aboriginal
Australian Aborigines
Australian Aborigines , also called Aboriginal Australians, from the latin ab originem , are people who are indigenous to most of the Australian continentthat is, to mainland Australia and the island of Tasmania...

 culture is evident in the totem
Totem
A totem is a stipulated ancestor of a group of people, such as a family, clan, group, lineage, or tribe.Totems support larger groups than the individual person. In kinship and descent, if the apical ancestor of a clan is nonhuman, it is called a totem...

ic relationship, and part of a dreaming
Dreaming (spirituality)
The Dreaming is a common term within the animist creation narrative of indigenous Australians for a personal, or group, creation and for what may be understood as the "timeless time" of formative creation and perpetual creating....

, as well as bush tucker. They were a favoured food item among desert Aboriginal tribes, and the fat was used for medicinal and ceremonial purposes. Many are depicted in Aboriginal art and their accompanying stories such as the piece ‘Goanna Calling for Rain’ and ‘How the Perentie and Goanna got their Colours’.

Description

The lizard can grow up to 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) in length although the average length is around 1.75 to 2 m (5.7 to 6.6 ) and weigh up to 15 kilograms (33.1 lb) — maximum weight can be over 20 kilograms (44.1 lb). Their rival for third largest lizard is the crocodile monitor. Crocodile Monitors are longer, and often exceed 8 feet (2.4 m) in length, but perenties are heavier and bulkier than the crocodile monitor. However, Perenties are relatively lean lizards, less bulky than either the Komodo dragon or the water monitor.

Venom

In late 2005, University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...

 researchers discovered that Perenties (Varanus giganteus), other monitors and Iguania
Iguania
Iguania is the suborder of Squamata that contains the iguanas, chameleons, agamids, and "New World lizards" such as anoles and Phrynosomatidae...

ns may be somewhat venomous. Previously, it had been thought that bites inflicted by these lizards were simply prone to infection because of bacteria in the lizards' mouths, but these researchers have shown that the immediate effects are caused by mild envenomation. Bites on human digits by a Lace Monitor
Lace monitor
The Lace Monitor, or Lace Goanna, Varanus varius, is a member of the monitor lizard family, Australian members of which are commonly known as goannas. It belongs to the subgenus Varanus....

 (Varanus varius), a Komodo Dragon
Komodo dragon
The Komodo dragon , also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large species of lizard found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and Gili Dasami. A member of the monitor lizard family , it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum length of in rare cases...

 (V. komodoensis) and a Spotted Tree Monitor (V. scalaris) have been observed and all produced similar results in humans: rapid swelling within minutes, localised disruption of blood clotting, shooting pain up to the elbow, with some symptoms lasting for several hours.

According to Australian folk lore, the perentie is immune to the bite of venomous snakes but this has not been experimentally tested.

Distribution and habitat

Perenties are found in the arid desert areas of Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland. Their habitat consists of rocky outcroppings and gorges, with hard-packed soil and loose stones.

Behaviour

Perenties are not a common sight in Australia. They generally avoid human contact and will disappear before they are seen. Being able diggers, they can excavate a burrow for shelter in only minutes. Their long claws enable them to easily climb trees.

They often stand on their back legs and tail in order to gain a better view of the surrounding terrain. This behaviour, known as "tripodding", is quite common in monitor species. Perenties are fast sprinters, and can run using either all four legs or just their hind legs.

Diet

Perenties generally forage for their food, but are also known to wait in ambush for small animals. Prey items can include:
  • Insects
  • Reptiles, including their own kind
  • Birds and birds' eggs
  • Small mammals
  • Carrion
    Carrion
    Carrion refers to the carcass of a dead animal. Carrion is an important food source for large carnivores and omnivores in most ecosystems. Examples of carrion-eaters include vultures, hawks, eagles, hyenas, Virginia Opossum, Tasmanian Devils, coyotes, Komodo dragons, and burying beetles...


Large adults can attack a greater variety of prey species, including small kangaroos
KangaROOS
KangaROOS are an American brand of sneaker originally produced from 1979 through the 1980s, with a later revival that continues in present. They were notable for having a small zippered pocket on the side of the shoe, large enough for a small amount of loose change, keys, or more recently,...

.

External links

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