First described by François Marie Daudin in 1802,[1] these lizards were previously classed as a subspecies of Varanus exanthematicus, but have since been declared a distinct species based upon differences in hemipenal morphology.

[2] The generic name Varanus is derived from the Arabic word waral ورل, which is translated to English as "monitor".

Tortoises make up a significant part of their diet, and are swallowed whole due to the hard shell.

Otherwise, they consume very little vertebrate prey, eating primarily invertebrates, especially millipedes, beetles, molluscs and orthopterans.

Millipedes for example form nearly a quarter of their diet; the monitors are apparently resistant to its poisonous secretions.