Editing Monitor lizard (section)

{{Short description|Genus of reptiles}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| name = Monitor lizard
| fossil_range = {{fossilrange|Early Miocene | Recent}}
| image = The Genus Varanus.png
| image_caption = Left: ''[[Varanus salvadorii|V. salvadorii]]'', ''[[Varanus griseus|V. griseus]]'', ''[[Varanus acanthurus|V. acanthurus]]'', ''[[Varanus olivaceus|V. olivaceus]]'' ''[[Varanus bengalensis|V. bengalensis]]'' Right: ''[[Varanus salvator|V. salvator]]'', ''[[Varanus albigularis|V. albigularis]]'', ''[[Varanus albigularis|V. albigularis]]'', ''[[Varanus spinulosus|V. spinulosus]]'', ''[[Varanus prasinus|V. prasinus]]'', ''[[Varanus jobiensis|V. jobiensis]]'' Bottom: ''[[Varanus komodoensis|V. komodoensis]]''
| taxon = Varanus
| authority = [[Blasius Merrem|Merrem]], 1820
| type_species = ''[[Varanus varius|Lacerta varia]]''{{cn|date=August 2024}}
| type_species_authority = [[George Shaw (biologist)|Shaw]], 1790
| subdivision_ranks = Subgenera
| subdivision = {{plainlist|
* ''[[Empagusia]]''
* ''[[Varanus (Euprepiosaurus)|Euprepiosaurus]]''
* ''[[Varanus (Hapturosaurus)|Hapturosaurus]]''
* ''[[Varanus (Odatria)|Odatria]]''
* ''[[Varanus (Papusaurus)|Papusaurus]]''
* ''[[Varanus (Philippinosaurus)|Philippinosaurus]]''
* ''[[Varanus (Polydaedalus)|Polydaedalus]]''
* ''[[Varanus (Psammosaurus)|Psammosaurus]]''
* ''[[Varanus (Solomonsaurus)|Solomonsaurus]]''
* ''[[Varanus (Soterosaurus)|Soterosaurus]]''
* ''[[Varanus (Varanus)|Varanus]]''
}}
For species, see [[Monitor lizard#Taxonomy|text]]
| range_map = Worldwidevaranus.PNG
| range_map_caption = Combined native range of all the monitor lizards
}}
'''Monitor lizards''' are [[lizard]]s in the [[genus]] '''''Varanus''','' the only extant genus in the family [[Varanidae]]. They are native to Africa, Asia, and [[Oceania]], and [[West African Nile monitor|one species]] is also found in south America as an [[invasive species]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-23 |title=Monitor {{!}} lizard {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/animal/monitor-lizard |access-date=2023-06-06 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>  About 80 species are recognized.

Monitor lizards have long necks, powerful [[tail]]s and claws, and well-developed limbs. The adult length of extant species ranges from {{convert|20|cm|in|abbr=on}} in some species such as ''[[Dampier Peninsula monitor|Varanus sparnus]]'', to over {{convert|3|m|ft|abbr=on|0}} in the case of the [[Komodo dragon]], though the extinct [[megalania]] (''Varanus priscus'') may have reached lengths of more than {{convert|7|m|ft|abbr=on|0}}. Most monitor species are [[terrestrial locomotion|terrestrial]], but many are also [[arboreal]] or semiaquatic. While most monitor lizards are [[carnivorous]], eating smaller reptiles, [[fish]], [[bird]]s, [[insect]]s, small mammals, and eggs, a few species also eat [[fruit]] and [[vegetation]].<ref name="EoR">{{cite book |editor=Cogger, H.G. |editor2=Zweifel, R.G. |author= Bauer, Aaron M. |year=1998 |title=Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians |publisher= Academic Press |location=San Diego |pages= 157–159 |isbn= 0-12-178560-2}}</ref>