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Description
The Similis monitor (Varanus similis), also known as the spotted tree monitor, is a small, arboreal lizard native to northern Australia and parts of New Guinea. Adult individuals typically reach a total length of up to 65 cm (approximately 2 feet), with the tail being about one and a half times the length of the body.
This species exhibits regional variations in coloration. Monitors from the northern regions of the Northern Territory display small, shiny spots on a grayish base color, sometimes featuring a dark central spot within each ocellus. In contrast, specimens from Queensland possess larger ocelli on their backs, each consistently containing a dark central spot. These ocelli are generally arranged in six to nine transverse rows, bordered by alternating light-colored scales that form narrow bands.
The Similis monitor is predominantly arboreal, inhabiting tropical forests and sclerophyllous dry tropical forests. While they primarily reside in trees, they occasionally descend to the ground to forage for prey, which includes insects, arachnids, small skinks, and other available fauna. At night, they seek shelter in tree hollows or beneath loose, dead bark.
Taxonomic classifications have varied, with some sources considering Varanus similis a synonym of Varanus scalaris. The type locality for V. similis is Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory.
Additionally, monitors from the southwestern part of Queensland have been informally referred to as Varanus pellewensis, though this name is not officially recognized.