Reference List

This list includes references used to derive specimen records as well as those with scientific name Varanus niloticus listed in key words.

Results also available in (click to export table to spreadsheet)

REFTypeCut-and-Paste Reference
25378 Book Alexander, G., and J. Marais. 2007. A guide to the reptiles of southern Africa. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa.
32938 Journal Article Angelici, F.M. and L. Luiselli. 1999. Aspects of the ecology of Varanus niloticus (Reptilia, Varanidae) in Southeastern Nigeria, and their contribution to the knowledge of the evolutionary history of V. Niloticus species complex. Revue D'Écologie 54:29-42. http://documents.irevues.inist.fr/handle/2042/54913.
16351 Web Page Anonymous. 2002. Animal capture of Florida: Monitor lizards. http://www.animalcapture.com/pages/monitor_lizards.htm.
16442 Web Page Anonymous. 2007. Florida's exotic wildlife: species detail: Nile monitor. http://myfwc.com/critters/exotics/SpeciesNumberResults.asp?SPPNO=291.
16447 Book Baha El Din, S. 2006. A Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Egypt. The American University in Cairo Press, Cairo – New York.
32949 Journal Article Bennett, D. 2002. Diet of Juvenile Varanus niloticus (Sauria: Varanidae) on the Black Volta River in Ghana. Journal of Herpetology 36(1):116-117. https://bioone.org/journals/Journal-of-Herpetology/volume-36/issue-1/0022-1511(2002)036[0116:DOJVNS]2.0.CO;2/Diet-of-Juvenile-span-classgenus-speciesVaranus-niloticus-span-Sauria/10.1670/0022-1511(2002)036[0116:DOJVNS]2.0.CO;2.full.
32951 Journal Article Böhme, W., and T. Ziegler. 1997. A taxonomic review of the Varanus (Polydaedalus) niloticus (Linnaeus, 1766) species complex. Herpetological Journal 7(4):155-162. https://www.thebhs.org/publications/the-herpetological-journal/volume-7-number-4-october-1997/1505-04-a-taxonomic-review-of-the-varanus-polydaedalus-niloticus-linnaeus-1766-species-complex/file.
32946 Report Campbell, T.S. 2005. Eradication of introduced carnivorous lizards from the Cape Coral Area. Final Report to the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program, 1926 Victoria Avenue, Ft. Myers, Florida 33901. http://chnep.wateratlas.usf.edu/upload/documents/MonitorLizardEradication_CampbellUnivTampa.pdf.
24369 Database Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health. 2024. EDDMapS: Early detection and distribution mapping system. The University of Georgia, Tifton, GA. https://www.eddmaps.org/tools/query/. Accessed on 01/27/2019.
33058 Journal Article Ciliberti, A., P. Berny, M-L. Delignette-Muller, and V. de Buffrénil. 2011. The Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus; Squamata: Varanidae) as a sentinel species for lead and cadmium contamination in sub-Saharan wetlands. Science of the Total Environment 409(22):4735-4745. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969711007467.
32947 Journal Article Dalhuijsen, K., W.R. Branch, and G.J. Alexander. 2014. A comparative analysis of the diets of Varanus albigularis and Varanus niloticus in South Africa. African Zoology 49(1):83-93. https://bioone.org/journals/African-Zoology/volume-49/issue-1/004.049.0105/A-Comparative-Analysis-of-the-Diets-of-iVaranus-iialbigularis-i/10.3377/004.049.0105.full.
33060 Journal Article D'Amore, D.C. Illustrating ontogenetic change in the dentition of the Nile monitor lizard, Varanus niloticus: a case study in the application of geometric morphometric methods for the quantification of shape–size heterodonty. Journal of Anatomy 226:403-419. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/joa.12293.
32955 Journal Article Dowell, S.A., J.P. Wood, T.S. Campbell, S-O. Kolokotronis, and E.R. Hekkala. 2016. Combining genetic and distributional approaches to sourcing introduced species: a case study on the Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus) in Florida. Royal Society Open Science 3:150619. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsos.150619.
32954 Journal Article Dowell, S.A., V. de Buffrénil, S-O. Kolokotronis, and E.R. Hekkala. 2015. Fine-scale genetic analysis of the exploited Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus) in Sahelian Africa. BMC Genetics 16:1-12. https://bmcgenet.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12863-015-0188-x.
12119 Report Duquesnel, J. 1996. Scaly Visitors. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Tallahassee.
14111 Journal Article Enge, K.M., K.L. Krysko, K.R. Hankins, T.S. Campbell, and F.W. King. 2004. Status of the Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus) in southwestern Florida. Southeastern Naturalist 3(4):571-582.
25944 Database iNaturalist. 2024. http://www.inaturalist.org/. Accessed on 08/13/2024.
25380 Book Jacobsen, N. 2005. Remarkable reptiles of South Africa. Briza Publications, Pretoria, South Africa.
16446 News Langbeinand, S., and S. Pedicini. 2007. Dead or alive? Cop shoots big lizard. The Orlando Sentinel. 131 (148).
32939 Journal Article Lönnberg, E. 1903. On the adaptations to a molluscivorous diet in Varanus niloticus. Arkiv för Zoologi 1:65-83. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/30516#page/83/mode/1up.
32937 Journal Article Losos, J.B. and H.W. Greene. 1988. Ecological and evolutionary implications of diet in monitor lizards. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 35:379-407. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1095-8312.1988.tb00477.x.
33062 Journal Article Luiselli, L., G.C. Akani, and D. Capizzi. 1999. Is there any interspecific competition between dwarf crocodiles (Osteolaemus tetraspis) and Nile monitors (Varanus niloticus ornatus) in the swamps of central Africa? A study from south-eastern Nigeria. Journal of Zoology (London) 247:127-131. https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1999.tb00200.x.
33153 Journal Article Meshaka, W.E. Jr., F.J. Mazzotti, and M.R. Rochford. 2018. Relative clutch mass in four exotic reptile species from southern Florida. Herpetological Bulletin 143(1):23-25. https://www.thebhs.org/publications/the-herpetological-bulletin/issue-number-143-spring-2018/1812-05-relative-clutch-mass-in-four-exotic-reptile-species-from-southern-florida/file.
13361 Web Page Metro Washington Zoo. 1995. Nile Monitor (Varanus niloticus). http://www.caboose.com.
33520 News Saunders, M. and R. Nakano. 2019. Dangerous monitor lizard on the lam captured in Escondido — but another one on the loose. ABC 10 News San Diego. San Diego, CA. https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/north-county-news/dangerous-monitor-lizard-on-the-lam-captured-in-escondido. Created on 08/10/2019. Accessed on 08/12/2019.
14844 News Voyles Pulver, D. 2005. Lakes newest reptilian resident creates a stir. West Volusia news journal online. 2005 (December 7).
32956 Journal Article Wood, J.P., S.A. Dowell, T.S. Campbell, and R.B. Page. 2016. Insights into the Introduction History and Population Genetic Dynamics of the Nile Monitor (Varanus niloticus) in Florida. Journal of Heredity 107(4):349-362. https://academic.oup.com/jhered/article/107/4/349/2622963.
33057 Journal Article Yeboah, S. 1993. Aspects of the biology of two sympatric species of monitor lizards Varanus niloticus and Varanus exanthematicus (Reptilia, Sauria) in Ghana. African Journal of Ecology 32:331-333.



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Citation information: U.S. Geological Survey. [2025]. Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database. Gainesville, Florida. Accessed [12/6/2025].

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