Bengal monitor lizard: India is home to four

India is home to four Monitor lizards – the Bengal Monitor (Varanus bengalensis), the Asian Water monitor (Varanus salvator), the Yellow monitor (Varanus flavescens) and the Desert monitor (Varanus griseus). The Bengal monitor or common Indian monitor, is a monitor lizard found widely distributed over South Asia. This large lizard is mainly terrestrial, and grows to about 175 cm from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail. Monitor lizards perform an essential function in agricultural and forest ecosystems by feasting on insects, rodents, bird eggs, snakes, fish, and crabs, thereby regulating their populations. Page citation Anonymous 2025. Varanus bengalensis (Daudin, 1802) – Bengal Monitor Lizard . In Kamdar, A. and K. Kunte. (Chief Editors). Butterflies of India, v. v.1.26. Published by the Indian Foundation for Butterflies. URL: https://www.indianreptiles.org/varanus-bengalensis, accessed 2025/10/26.