Gray's monitor
| Gray's monitor | |
|---|---|
| Bronx Zoo, 2021 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Lanthanotidae |
| Genus: | Varanus |
| Subgenus: | Philippinosaurus |
| Species: | V. olivaceus |
| Binomial name | |
| Varanus olivaceus Hallowell, 1857 | |
| Range of Varanus olivaceus | |
The Gray's monitor (Varanus olivaceus) is a large (180 cm, >9 kg) monitor lizard known only from lowland dipterocarp forest in southern Luzon, Catanduanes, and Polillo Island, all islands in the Philippines. It is also known as Gray's monitor lizard, butaan, and ornate monitor. It belongs to the subgenus Philippinosaurus. It is largely arboreal and extremely shy. The population of northern Luzon was formerly included in the Gray's monitor, but has been recognized as a separate species, the northern Sierra Madre forest monitor (V. bitatawa), since 2010.