The Secret Life of Lanthanotus

[ZoPteryx]

No, I haven't started spying on forum members! 

The ancient and super cool Earless Monitor (Lanthanotus borneensis) has long been something of an enigma to herpetologists.  Most of what's known comes from specimens briefly held in captivity many decades ago or found dead by farmers and fishermen.  What we thought we knew of their biology was mostly just educated guesses, as wild specimens have rarely been observed.  Until now.

A new free-to-read paper on this species was recently published and sheds much needed light on their biology in the wild:

https://www.academia.edu/32375444/HIDDEN_IN_THE_HEART_OF_BORNEO-SHEDDING_LIGHT_ON_SOME_MYSTERIES_OF_AN_ENIGMATIC_LIZARD_FIRST_RECORDS_OF_HABITAT_USE_BEHAVIOR_AND_FOOD_ITEMS_OF_Lanthanotus_borneensis_STEINDACHNER_1878_IN_ITS_NATURAL_HABITAT

[Halichoeres]

Ha, I was going to say...creepy. 

[BlueKrono]

Too bad there's not a forum for extant animals.

[ZoPteryx]

Too bad there's not a forum for extant animals.

Noted.  But seeing as this taxon has ramifications for the early evolution and diversification of varanoids, including insights into how the group's numerous aquatic lineages may have gotten their start, I thought it might generate more interest here.  Plus, it just looks so prehistoric! 

[BlueKrono]

Too bad there's not a forum for extant animals.

Noted.  But seeing as this taxon has ramifications for the early evolution and diversification of varanoids, including insights into how the group's numerous aquatic lineages may have gotten their start, I thought it might generate more interest here.  Plus, it just looks so prehistoric! 

It's definitely a cool lizard. That said, everything generates more interest here because this is a larger, more active community. Just trying to throw the animals a bone!

[Takama]

Too bad there's not a forum for extant animals.

http://animaltoyforum.com/

[Ravonium]

Too bad there's not a forum for extant animals.

http://animaltoyforum.com/

Judging by the fact that you can go to the ATF directly from this website and the fact BlueKrono has an account on there, I'm not 100% sure he was being serious.

[BlueKrono]

Too bad there's not a forum for extant animals.

http://animaltoyforum.com/

Judging by the fact that you can go to the ATF directly from this website and the fact BlueKrono has an account on there, I'm not 100% sure he was being serious.

Like I said, it would be nice to see more traffic there. Thanks for posting the link though.

[Ravonium]

it would be nice to see more traffic there

I agree.

[Lanthanotus]

Hehe, I was indeed stunned for a (very short) moment when reading the title

Thanks very much for linking that, ZoPteryx, wasn't aware of that paper. Lot has happened since the last paper on the subject back in 2012 and the following illegal export of like 110 animals in 2014. From a herpetological standpoint though, all those news are fine and shed a bit of light on this "holy grail" of modern herpetology.

[Silvanusaurus]

I didnt know anything about this lizard before seeing this thread, but it's one of the most beasutiful living reptiles I've ever seen. Is there a figure of this species anywhere?

[Lanthanotus]

Not that I am aware of. But keeping in mind that - until 2014 - only few more than 100 hundred individuals were known (and stowed in museum collections since decades) and that there were only like two or three images of live ones, republished in every relevant book over decades aswell, it is not surprising that only dedicated herpetologists knew of the existence of such an animal.

I received a deceased one two years ago from an anonymous source (I asked people for sending me over deceased varanoids for scientific purposes) and I was baffled to see and hold that thing in my very own hands - even if dead. So that is also where my photo comes from. Its skull would also make a nice example for the "lips" thread

[WarrenJB]

Blimey, it's Smaug.

I guess that answers my curiosity about the pic in your sig. I thought it looked real but kind of 'unreal' too, and the bright red in the paper's photos jogged my memory. Still, what Silvanusaurus said: it's a fantastic looking animal, and interesting too.