About Varanus palawanensis Koch, Gaulke & Böhme, 2010
Varanus palawanensis, also called the Palawan water monitor, can reach a total length of 2 meters (6.6 feet) including the tail. The best-studied population of this water monitor in the Philippines is found on Calauit, a small islet that belongs to the Calamian Island Group on the northeastern edge of Palawan Province. In 1989, researcher Gaulke published morphological data from 167 specimens of this species. Among these specimens, the longest individual had a total length of 1880 mm, and part of its tail was missing. The smallest specimen measured only 390 mm from snout tip to tail tip. The smallest specimen had a snout-vent length of 14 cm, while the largest measured 78.8 cm. The average snout-vent length across all measured specimens was 54.77 cm. Varanus palawanensis is endemic to the Greater Palawan region.
