Varanus primordius (Mertens, 1942:41)
Northern blunt(-)spined monitor, Northern ridge-tailed monitor, Northern ridge-tailed goanna
Taxonomy & Nomenclature
Synonym/s: Varanus acanthurus primordius Mertens, 1942:41 (basionym)
Conservation Status
Globally Rediscovered (Storr, 1966)
IUCN RedList status: Least Concern
Distribution & Habitat
Australia
Biology & Ecology
"Ecology: low open woodland, low woodland, woodland, terrestrial, diurnal, predator; oviparous, saxicoline."
(Cogger et al., 1983:131)
Hypodigm
Holotype: ZMB 6204 (Cogger et al., 1983:131)
Type locality: North Australia (Cogger et al., 1983:131)
Media
References
Original scientific description:
Mertens, R. (1942). Ein weiterer neuer Waran aus Australien. Zool. Anz. 137: 41-44.
Other references:
Bennet, D. F. (2003a). Australian Monitors. Reptilia (GB) (30): 12-19
Bennet, D. F. (2003b). Australische Warane. Reptilia (Münster) 8 (43): 18-25
Bennett, D. F. and Sweet, S. S. (2010). Varanus primordius. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010: e.T178030A7487647. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T178030A7487647.en. Downloaded on 17 October 2015.
Chapple, David G. et al. (2026). Conserving Australian lizards and snakes: an update on progress since 2017. Pacific Conservation Biology 32(5): PC25096. https://doi.org/10.1071/PC25096 [Supplementary data (.zip)]
Cogger, H.G. 2000. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, 6th ed. Ralph Curtis Publishing, Sanibel Island, 808 pp.
Cogger, H. G. 2014. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, 7th ed. CSIRO Publishing, xxx + 1033 pp.
Cogger, Harold G., Cameron, Elizabeth E. and Cogger, Heather M. (1983). Varanidae, pp. 126-134. In: Zoological Catalogue of Australia. I. Amphibia and Reptilia. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. vi + 313 pp. [p. 131]
Cogger, H., McDonald, P., Gillespie, G., Greenlees, M., Fenner, A. and Woinarski, J. C. Z. (2018). Varanus primordius. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T178030A101744439. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T178030A101744439.en. Accessed on 02 October 2026.
Eidenmüller, Bernd 2013. Von Darwin nach Alice Springs – der Warane wegen. Draco 13 (53): 55-61
Hörenberg, Thomas & André Koch 2013. Die Zwergwarane der Untergattung Odatria Gray, 1838. Draco 13 (53): 6-19
Hudson, R., Alberts, A., Ellis, S. and Byers, O. (eds). (1994). Conservation Assessment and Management Plan for Iguanidae and Varanidae. AZA Lizard Taxon Advisory Group, IUCN/SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group.
Husband, G. A. (2001). Natural history and captive maintenance of the Northern bluntspined monitor Varanus primordius. Herpetofauna 31: 126-131.
Husband, G. and Christian, K. (2004). Varanus primordius, pp. 434-437. In: Pianka, E. R. and King, D. R. (eds.). Varanoid Lizards of the World. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press.
Jolly, C., Schembri, B., & Macdonald, S. 2023. Field Guide to the Reptiles of the Northern Territory. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne
Lisle, H.F. de 1996. Natural History of Monitor Lizards. Krieger, Malabar (Florida)
Mertens, R. (1958). Bemerkungen über die Warane Australiens. Senckenberg. Biol. 39: 229-264.
Mertens, R. (1966). Ein neuer Zwergwaran aus Australien. Senckenberg. Biol. 47: 437-441.
Pianka, E. R. and D. R. King, eds. 2004. Varanoid Lizards of the World. Indiana University Press, 599 pp
Sprackland, R. G. (2001). Dwarf monitors. Reptile and Amphibian Hobbyist 6 (10): 8-16
Storr, G. M. (1966). Rediscovery and taxonomic status of the Australian lizard, Varanus primordius. Copeia 1966(3): 583-584.
Wilson, S. and Swan, G. (2010). A complete guide to reptiles of Australia, 3rd ed. Chatswood: New Holland. 558 pp.
Winderlich, S. and Woinarski, J. 2014. Symposium 7: Conservation of threatened species, Bowali Visitor Centre, Kakadu National Park. Kakadu National Park Landscape Symposia Series.
https://extinctanimals.proboards.com/thread/19938/varanus-primordius