Monitor ID: Heath or Lace?

[Berachester]

Hey guys, I found this monitor today in bushland around Lucas Heights. This monitor was much smaller than the typical large Lace Monitors and I was wondering if it was a Heath Monitor? Also could you tell me how to differentiate the two. I did notice heaps of termite mounds about in the area so perfect habitat for the Heath Monitor.

Thanks in advance!

 

[baker]

Yep its a heaths monitor (Varanus rosenbergi). The most obvious feature that tells me this is a heaths is the tail. Lace monitors have a circular cross section to their tail without any lateral flattening. In this picture though the tail has a very noticeably lateral flattening to it and more stocky. The head shape is also not correct for a lace monitor. Unlike heath monitors lace monitors do not have pronounced nostrils. Also because of the pronounced nostrils heath monitors look like they have an upper lip where lace monitors don't. Hopefully that helped a bit for you.
Cheers Cameron

 

[Berachester]

Thanks for that detailed answer Cameron!

 

[jack]

Until you get your eye in for the body shape, an easy tell is that the front legs of lacies are typically stripey, the front legs of heathies are usually dotty... that and when you try to catch them the heath monitor will stay low and hide in rocks whereas a lace monitor heads for the trees.

 

[crocdoc]

The tail on heath monitors has relatively even-width bands all of the way down. On lace monitors the tail starts off with narrow bands which then get wider and wider.

Heath monitor tail - band width remains the same

Lace monitor, bands on tail widen towards tip. Note that the latter half of the tail only has around 4 bands.

Similarly, the chin on a heath monitor has numerous bands whereas lace monitors only have 2-3 bands.

Heath monitor chin (multiple bands)

Lace monitor chin (two or so bands)

 

[krusty]

Nice big monitor,what size would it have been?

 

[Berachester]

Sorry for the late reply, It would have been a bit over a meter from memory. This was my first time seeing a heath monitor. Very exciting!