General Description

Light to dark reddish-brown in colour with irregular black or dark brown spots on its upper side. The face has a dark stripe from behind the eye to the snout, and the tail has cream and dark longitudinal stripes. Total length maximum 50 cm, snout-vent length 17 cm.

Biology

A shy, terrestrial monitor lizard active throughout the year. They hunt skinks, scorpions and centipedes among the sand dunes and spinifex, and shelter in deep burrows. Males may grow slightly larger than females, but there are otherwise no conspicuous differences between them. The Pygmy Desert Monitor is oviparous (lay eggs rather than giving birth to live young).

Distribution

Sandy deserts with spinifex areas of Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory and SW Queensland.

Habitat

Arid and semi-arid desert areas.

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