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The venom of monitor lizards is diverse and complex, as a result of the diverse ecological niches monitor lizards occupy. [ 32 ] For example, many species have anticoagulant venom, disrupting clotting through a combination of fibrinogenolysis and blocking platelet aggregation.
Monitor lizards are hunted, and their body fat, extracted by boiling, is used in a wide range of folk remedies. [33] Comparison to water monitor (Varanus salvator) In Sri Lanka, the Asian water monitor is considered venomous and dangerous when confronted, while the Bengal monitor (Thalagoya) is considered harmless and rather defenseless.
The venom is an anticoagulant, and has two known mechanisms for disrupting blood clotting: by fibrinogenolysis (the destructive cleavage of fibrinogen) and by blocking platelet aggregation. The venom also causes hypotension. Monitor lizard venom is extremely complex and diverse due to the great range of ecological niches that they occupy. [12]
Nile monitors feed on a wide variety of prey items, including fish, frogs and toads (even poisonous ones of the genera Breviceps and Sclerophrys), small reptiles (such as turtles, snakes, lizards, and young crocodiles), birds, rodents, other small mammals (up to domestic cats and young antelopes ), eggs (including those of crocodiles, agamids ...
Previously, venom was thought to be unique to Serpentes (snakes) and Heloderma (venomous lizards). The aftereffects of a Varanus bite were thought to be due to oral bacteria alone, but recent studies have shown venom glands are likely to be present in the mouths of several, if not all, of the species. The venom may be used as a defensive ...
A huge monitor lizard explored a family's garage before it was caught hiding behind a Buddhist shrine. Footage shows the 5ft-long reptile crawling along the driveway before a resident discovered ...
Florida has a big lizard problem. Between lion fish and Burmese pythons, Florida has a lot of invasive species problems -- and the newest is massive Nile Monitor Lizards. Nile Monitor Lizards can ...
Tourists on safari are warned about lions and leopards, but maybe they should be cautioned about giant lizards. A group of tourists was camped out at the Skukuza camp site in South Africa's Kruger ...