biology

Peacock monitor

Peacock monitor is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Peacock monitor rather than just read about it. In short: The peacock monitor (Varanus auffenbergi), also known commonly as Auffenberg's monitor, is a species of small monitor lizard in the family Varanidae. The species, which belongs to the subgenus Odatria, is endemic to Rote Island, Indonesia.

Key takeaways

Peacock monitor belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Peacock monitor to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Peacock monitor from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The peacock monitor (Varanus auffenbergi), also known commonly as Auffenberg's monitor, is a species of small monitor lizard in the family Varanidae. The species, which belongs to the subgenus Odatria, is endemic to Rote Island, Indonesia.

Etymology The generic name Varanus is derived from the Arabic word waral ورل, (alternative spelling waran= "lizard"). The name comes from a common semitic root ouran, waran, or waral, meaning "lizard". The occasional habit of varanids to stand on their two hind legs and to appear to "monitor" their surroundings may have led to this name, as it was Latinized into Varanus. The specific name auffenbergi honors US herpetologist Walter Auffenberg.

Description

The peacock monitor is one of the smaller monitor lizards, usually reaching a length of 60 cm (23.5 in). It is similar to the Timor monitor (V. timorensis), with some differentiation in the underside coloring and patterns. The coloring patterns fade as these lizards reach adulthood. The peacock monitor has blue-grey ocelli, whereas the Timor monitor has cream-colored ocelli.

Behavior In the wild, peacock monitors have been seen climbing the trunks of palms and then basking on the crowns of the trees. The peacock monitor is calm and shy compared to other monitor lizards, remaining shy even in captivity.

References

External links and further reading Sprackland RG (1999). "New species of monitor (Squamata: Varanidae) from Indonesia". Reptile Hobbyist 4 (6): 20–27. (Varanus auffenbergi, new species). JCVI.org (Downloaded Feb. 10, 2010.) Varanaus.nl (Downloaded Feb. 10, 2010.) ITIS.gov (Downloaded Feb.11, 2010) Museumstuff.com (Downloaded Feb.11, 2010) Wesiak K (2008). "Unterbringung, Pflege und Nachzucht von Varanus (Odatria) auffenbergi SPRACKLAND 1999 [=Housing, care and breeding of Varanus (Odatria) auffenbergi SPRACKLAND 1999]". Elaphe 16 (1): 37–47. (in German). Green, Brian; King, Dennis (1999). Monitors : The Biology of Varanid Lizards, 2nd ed. Malabar: Krieger Publishing Company. King, Ruth Allen; Pianka, Eric R.; King, Dennis (2004). Varanoid Lizards of the World. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. pp. 225–229. ISBN 0-253-34366-6. King, Dennis & Green, Brian. (1999). Goannas: The Biology of Varanid Lizards. University of New South Wales Press. ISBN 0-86840-456-X Behavior video on YouTube

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Peacock monitor

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Peacock monitor claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Peacock monitor before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Peacock monitor ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Peacock monitor

In research: Peacock monitor appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Peacock monitor in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Peacock monitor is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics IUCN Red List endangered species, Lizard stubs, Lizards of Indonesia, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Peacock monitor outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Peacock monitor in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Peacock monitor means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Peacock monitor out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Peacock monitor in simple terms?

Why does Peacock monitor matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Peacock monitor?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Peacock monitor.