Title: Body temperatures of an arboreal monitor lizard, Varanus tristis (Squamata: Varanidae), during the breeding season
Abstract: Based on a sample of cloacal body temperatures taken from four species of varanids in the semi-arid regions of Western Australia, Pianka ( 1994) reported Varanus eremius and V. gouldii to be good thermoregulators, while arboreal V. caudolineatu.sand V. tristis did not regulate as well.In addition, the mean body temperature for V. tristis (34.8°C) was significantly lower than that for V. eremius (37.3°C),V. gouldii (37.7°C) and V. caudolineatus (37.8°C).Pianka's (1994) temperature recordings were taken on live varanids collected opportunistically in the field.Our objective was to determine if the body temperature of V. tristis in the western Great Victoria Desert during the part of the day (1100 to 1800 h) when the lizards are active are generally lower than body temperatures reported for other varanids.