Ecology and habitat suitability of desert monitor lizard varanus griseus koniecznyi in the thar desert of Rajasthan

Abstract

Varanus griseus koniecznyi Mertens, 1954 is the single desert monitor species found in India that survives in the desert areas of north-western India in Rajasthan and Gujarat (Thar desert of India or the Great Indian desert). Main population of this species in India is found in the Thar desert of Rajasthan (TDR) as TDR represents the major part of the Great Indian desert (about 62%). The present study was undertaken from January 2013 to June 2017 to assess the population status, distribution, ecology and behaviour of this species in the TDR. The study also aims to find out how the species differs from its sympatric species Varanus bengalensis bengalensis (Daudin, 1802) in taxonomic character, spatially (habitat and microhabitat), temporarily (time budget), and in population status in the TDR. Further, in India all monitor lizards being conservation dependent species and listed under Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and Appendix II of CITES, in this study habitat suitability analysis of two monitor lizard species found in the TDR was carried out using geospatial technique. The study also documented the threats and recommended action plans for the conservation of reptiles in the TDR with special reference to the monitor lizards in this region. The study revealed that there are many morphological features on which desert monitor lizard can be clearly differentiated from common monitor lizard in the field that include the tail character, the position of nostril in relation to eye and snout, and the shape of snout. The finding further suggests that scale microstructure of reptiles can be used for species delamination as the microstructure of scales of Indian Varanus species through this study matches with scale microstructure of those species from abroad. newline