Introduction
The Water Monitor (Varanus salvator) is one of the most widely distributed of all monitor species,
ranging from Sri-Lanka and eastern India across southeast Asia (including southern China) to the
Philippines and throughout much of Indonesia as far east as Ceram (Gaulke and Horn, 2004). Because of
its extensive distribution, not surprisingly, this species shows substantial geographic variation in scalation
and coloration, and several subspecies have been described.
The last major revision of V. salvator was that of Mertens (1942). Over the years, the status of certain
subspecies of V. salvator has been controversial. Some authorities have argued against the validity of
some, or, for the elevation of others to full species status, but the general consensus is that the V. salvator
group is in need of modern taxonomic revision (Gaulke and Horn, 2004).
The color and pattern of the various populations of V. salvator varies geographically. In general,
juveniles have a distinctive pattern, but in some populations the pattern becomes obscured with age. Some
populations, however, are darker than others, and dark or melanistic individuals have been reported from
Thailand (komaini; Nutphand, 1987), the Togian Islands in Indonesia (togianus; Mertens, 1959), and from
Nicobar and the Andaman Islands (andamanensis; Deraniyagala, 1944); in the latter population, however,
juveniles are reported to show a distinctive pattern (Kala, 1998). Additionally, some populations of V.
salvator nuchalis from the Philippines display two distinctive color phases, one colorful and the other
dark, but both morphs are sympatric on the islands of Panay and Negros, where the pale color is the most
abundant. The opposite is true on the islands of Masbate, Ticao, and Boracay, where a dark or nearly
melanistic form predominates (Gaulke, 1991; Horn and Gaulke, 2004).
The Black Water Monitor was described as a separate subspecies (V. salvator komaini) by Nutphand
(1987), from small islands and areas near the coastline in southwestern Thailand. Nutphand distinguished
this subspecies from its closest relative, V. salvator, by its shorter adult length, black coloration throughout
the body (no spots or bands), and a grayish-purple tongue; however, his description indicated only minor
scutellational differences between the taxa.
Since its description, komaini has been regarded as a subspecies of V. salvator by some authorities
or as an invalid taxon by others. Information on the status of komaini in Sprackland (1992) added to this
confusion, as on page 128 he states that “Preliminary information suggests that it (= komaini) may or may
not be a subspecies of Varanus salvator,” yet on page 130 he indicates this taxon (as Varanus salvator
komaini) as a nomen nudum.
The purpose of this report is not to question the taxonomic validity of V. s. komaini, but to present
husbandry and reproductive information on this highly unusual monitor. The animals discussed here
purportedly are from Kukup, in Johore, Malaysia, on the southwestern tip of the Malay Peninsula.
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