Editing Monitor lizard (section)

=== Venom ===
Anatomical and molecular studies indicate that most if not all [[Varanidae|varanids]] are [[venom]]ous.<ref name="Fry2009">
{{cite journal |vauthors=Fry BG, Wroe S, Teeuwisse W, van Osch JP, Moreno K, Ingle J, McHenry C, Ferrara T, Clausen P, Scheib H, Winter KL, Greisman L, Roelants K, van der Weerd L, Clemente CJ, Giannakis E, Hodgson WC, Luz S, Martelli P, Krishnasamy K, Kochva E, Kwok HF, Scanlon D, Karas J, Citron DM, Goldstein EJ, Mcnaughtan JE, Norman JA |date=June 2009 |title= A central role for venom in predation by ''Varanus komodoensis'' (Komodo dragon) and the extinct giant ''Varanus (Megalania) priscus''. |journal= PNAS |volume= 106 |pages= 8969–8974 |doi = 10.1073/pnas.0810883106 |pmid = 19451641 |issue = 22 |pmc = 2690028|bibcode=2009PNAS..106.8969F |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="Fry2006">
{{cite journal |vauthors=Fry BG, Vidal N, Norman JA, Vonk FJ, Scheib H, Ramjan SF, Kuruppu S, Fung K, Hedges B, Richardson MK, Hodgson WC, Ignjatovic V, Summerhays R, Kochva E |date=February 2006 |title= Early evolution of the venom system in lizards and snakes |journal= Nature |volume= 439 |pages= 584–588 |doi = 10.1038/nature04328 |pmid = 16292255 |issue = 7076|bibcode=2006Natur.439..584F |s2cid=4386245 }}</ref> Unlike snakes, monitor lizard venom glands are situated in their lower jaw.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Fry |first1=Bryan G. |last2=Wroe |first2=Stephen |last3=Teeuwisse |first3=Wouter |last4=van Osch |first4=Matthias J. P. |last5=Moreno |first5=Karen |last6=Ingle |first6=Janette |last7=McHenry |first7=Colin |last8=Ferrara |first8=Toni |last9=Clausen |first9=Phillip |last10=Scheib |first10=Holger |last11=Winter |first11=Kelly L. |last12=Greisman |first12=Laura |last13=Roelants |first13=Kim |last14=van der Weerd |first14=Louise |last15=Clemente |first15=Christofer J. |date=2009-06-02 |title=A central role for venom in predation by Varanus komodoensis (Komodo Dragon) and the extinct giant Varanus ( Megalania ) priscus |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |language=en |volume=106 |issue=22 |pages=8969–8974 |doi=10.1073/pnas.0810883106 |issn=0027-8424 |pmc=2690028 |pmid=19451641 |bibcode=2009PNAS..106.8969F |doi-access=free }}</ref> The venom of monitor lizards is diverse and complex, as a result of the diverse ecological niches monitor lizards occupy.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Dobson|first1=James S.|last2=Zdenek|first2=Christina N.|last3=Hay|first3=Chris|last4=Violette|first4=Aude|last5=Fourmy|first5=Rudy|last6=Cochran|first6=Chip|last7=Fry|first7=Bryan G.|date=May 2019|title=Varanid Lizard Venoms Disrupt the Clotting Ability of Human Fibrinogen through Destructive Cleavage|journal=Toxins|language=en|volume=11|issue=5|pages=255|doi=10.3390/toxins11050255|pmid=31067768|pmc=6563220|doi-access=free}}</ref> 

For example, many species have [[anticoagulant]] venom, disrupting clotting through a combination of [[fibrinogenolysis]] and blocking [[platelet]] aggregation. Amongst them, arboreal species, such as the [[Varanus (Hapturosaurus)|tree monitors]] and the [[Banded tree monitor|banded monitor]], have by far the strongest fibrinogenolytic venom. As a result, wounds from monitor lizard bites often bleed more than they would if they were simply lacerations. Venom may also cause [[hypotension]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Dobson |first1=James S. |last2=Zdenek |first2=Christina N. |last3=Hay |first3=Chris |last4=Violette |first4=Aude |last5=Fourmy |first5=Rudy |last6=Cochran |first6=Chip |last7=Fry |first7=Bryan G. |date=2019-05-07 |title=Varanid Lizard Venoms Disrupt the Clotting Ability of Human Fibrinogen through Destructive Cleavage |journal=Toxins |language=en |volume=11 |issue=5 |pages=255 |doi=10.3390/toxins11050255 |issn=2072-6651 |pmc=6563220 |pmid=31067768 |doi-access=free }}</ref> 

In some species such as the [[Komodo dragon]] and the [[desert monitor]], venom also induces a powerful neurotoxic effect. In the latter species for instance, envenomation causes immediate paralysis in rodents (but not birds) and lesser effects of the same nature in humans.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Zima |first=Yuliya |date=December 2019 |title=On the Toxicity of the Bite of the Caspian Gray Monitor Lizard (Varanus griseus caspius) |journal=Biawak |volume=13 |issue=2 |pages=115–118 |via=ResearchGate}}</ref>