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Varanus
salvator (Laurenti, 1768):
Stellio salvator
J. N. Laurenti. 1768. Syn. Rept.: 56.
Hydrosaurus Salvator J.
E. Gray. 1845. Cat. Lizards British Mus.: 13.
Varanus salvator G.
A. Boulenger. 1885. Cat. Lizards British Mus. II: 314.
Varanus salvator E.
Bartlett. 1895. J. Str. Br. Royal Asiatic Soc. (28): 86.
Varanus salvator T.
Barbour. 1912. Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool. 44(1): 88.
Varanus salvator N.
De Rooij. 1915. Reptiles Indo-Australian Arch. 1: 146.
Varanus salvator R.
Mertens. 1930. Abh. Senckenberg. Naturf. Ges. 42(3): 140.
Varanus salvator R.
Mertens. 1963. Das Tierreich 79: 16.
Varanus salvator salvator K.
R. G. Welch, P. S. Cooke & A. S. Wright. 1990. Lizards Orient: 125.
Varanus salvator F.
L. Tan. 1993. Checklist Lizards Borneo: 10.
Varanus salvator U.
Manthey & W. Grossmann. 1997. Amphibien & Reptilien Südostasiens: 292.
Type
locality: Based on illustration by Seba (1735: Pl. CV: fig 1; not ii. pl. 88,
fig. 2, as mentioned by Smith, 1935: 405), from "America" (in error),
emended to "Ceylon" (= Sri Lanka) by Mertens (1959b).
Distribution:
Sri Lanka and eastern India, including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Myanmar,
Thailand, southern and eastern China, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, the
Riao Archipelago, Banka, Billiton, Java, Sulawesi, the Lesser Sundas and the
Philippines Archipelago (Manthey and Grossmann, 1997: 293).
Localities
in Borneo: SARAWAK: Matang (AMNH 84153); Sejijak on Kuching River (BMNH
1951.1.8.35); Sadong River, Kuching (De Rooij, 1915: 147); Santubong (De Rooij,
1915: 147; Denzer, 1996); Baram River (De Rooij, 1915: 147; ANSP 26377); BRUNEI:
Bukit Patoi (UBD 578); Batu Apoi (Das, 1995); Brunei Airport area, Bandar Seri
Begawan (UBD 357); Berakas Camp (BM 91/13); Gadong (BM 84/404); Kampung
Selambigar (BM 82/56); Kampung Jambu, Brunei District (BM 85/16); LABUAN: Labuan
(De Rooij, 1915: 147); SABAH: Kepungit II and Langanan, Kinabalu Park (Malkmus,
1992); Taman, Pulau Tiga (UKMS [at present UMS] Re. 170); Pulau Gaya (Omar et
al., 1984: 70); Kampung Tambalang, Tuaran (UKMS [at present UMS] Re. 0539;
0540); Agriculture Station, Tuaran (UKMS [at present UMS] Re. 0541); KALIMANTAN:
Sebruang (Mocquard, 1892), Martapura (De Rooij, 1915: 147); Pontianak, Smitau (Lidth
de Jeude, 1905; De Rooij, 1915: 147); Kapuas River (Brown, 1902, based on ANSP
26375). Also, “Borneo” (ANSP 26376; BMNH 44.6.15.2; 64.9.2.1; 64.9.2.2-3;
ZRC 2.1907-1908).
Derivation:
Apparently a South American Indian phrase, meaning “safeguard”, from the
belief that large lizards warn humans of approaching danger (R. Sprackland, pers.
comm., 1999).
Remarks:
Tupinambis bivittatus Kuhl, 1820,
which was based on Seba (1735: Pl. XXX: 2) is removed from the synonymy of Varanus
salvator (Laurenti, 1768) as it represents Lacerta
mexicana Donndorff, 1798 (= Bipes
canaliculatus Bonnaterre, 1789).
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