Varanus niloticus
Linnaeus, 1766
vuh-RAH-nus — nee-LOE-teh-kus
SSAR 9th Edition Comments:
Native to sub-Saharan Africa. It was introduced in Arizona (Goodykoontz, 2024, Arizona Republic. 11 July), Georgia (Brennan et al., 2022, Herpetological Review 53: 272–273) and is established in Florida (Dalrymple, 1994, Non-indigenous amphibians and reptiles. Pages 67–78, An assessment of invasive non-indigenous species in Florida's public land. Technical Report No. TSs-94–100. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Tallahassee, Florida. 78pp.; Enge et al., 2004, Southeastern Naturalist 3: 571–582; Campbell, 2005, Eradication of introduced carnivorous lizards from the Cape Coral area. Final Report to the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program, Fort Myers, Florida; Wood et al., 2016, Journal of Heredity 107: 349–362; Enge and Krysko, 2019, Varanus niloticus. Pages 438–440 in Krysko et al. (Editors) Amphibians and Reptiles of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, Florida).
Range maps are based on curated specimens and provided gratis by CNAH.
(Created by Travis W. Taggart; Version: 2025.01.31.13.46.36)
Download GeoJSON polygon range file: - 1.27 MB
Province/State Distribution:
USA: Florida
First instance(s) of published English names:
No historic English names have been assigned to this taxon yet.
Catalog of American Amphibians and Reptiles
The Reptile Database
GenBank
USGS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database
Selected References:
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1766
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Linné, Carl von (=Linneaus). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species with characters, differences, synonyms, places. Volume I.] Laurentii Salvii, Stockholm, Holmiae, Editio duodecima, reformata (12th Edition). 1-532pp.
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1994
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Dalrymple, George H. Non-indigenous amphibians and reptiles. Pages 67–78 in An assessment of invasive non-indigenous species in Florida's public land. Technical Report No. TSS-94-100. 78 pp. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Tallahassee, Florida. pp.
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2004
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Enge, Kevin M., Kenneth L. Krysko, Kraig R. Hankins, Todd S. Campbell, and F. Wayne King. Status of the Nile Monitor (Varanus niloticus) in southwestern Florida. Southeastern Naturalist 3(4):571-582
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2016
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Wood, Jared P., Stephanie A. Dowell, Todd S. Campbell, and Robert B. Page. Insights into the introduction history and population genetic dynamics of the Nile Monitor (Varanus niloticus) in Florida. Journal of Heredity 107(4):349–362
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2022
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Brennan, Michael, Lance McBrayer, John Carroll, Kenneth L. Krysko, and Amy A. Yackel Adams. New state and county records of introduced amphibians and reptiles of Georgia, USA. Herpetological Review 53(2):272–273.
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