A 2020 phylogenomic study by Brennan et al. found that Odatria is most closely related to much larger Australian monitor lizards from the subgenus Varanus, which includes the largest living lizard, the Komodo dragon, as well as the monotypic subgenus Papusaurus of which the crocodile monitor is the only member of.

The existence of this land bridge also likely allowed the Indo-Australopapuan clade including many Odatria species to disperse back into Indonesia.

[4] To maintain monophyly in light of Brennan et al. 2020, V. glebopalma would be excluded from the V. tristis group, and more species would be included as in the following: V. acanthurus group - (V. acanthurus, V. baritji, V. brevicauda, V. bushi, V. caudolineatus, V. eremius, V. gilleni, V. kingorum, V. primordius, V. sparnus and V. storri) V. tristis group - (V. auffenbergi, V. glauerti, V. hamersleyensis, V. mitchelli, V. pilbarensis, V. scalaris, V. semiremex, V. similis, V. timorensis, and V. tristis) The genus is diverse in terms of behaviour, and includes terrestrial, arboreal, and semiaquatic species.

[2] Physalopterid nematodes of the genus Abbreviata are major gastrointestinal parasites in many species of reptiles.

Depending on the species, more than half of all individuals collected from the wild may be infected, but in most cases the parasites do minimal harm.

Under the EPBC Act, the export of live Australian Odatria species for commercial purposes is prohibited.

[2] Captive breeding for the pet trade has been successful in many such species however and lessens the pressure on wild populations.