CANBERRA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Scientists have identified three new species of rock-dwelling monitor lizards in the northeast of the Australian state of Queensland, marking the first formal record of such reptiles from the country's eastern savannas.
Researchers from the Australian National University (ANU) described the Rainbow Rock Monitor, Orange-headed Rock Monitor and Yellow-headed Rock Monitor, each notable for its vivid coloration and adaptation to rocky outcrops scattered across the savanna landscape, said an ANU statement on Friday.
Detailed genetic and morphological analyses confirmed the three populations are distinct species that have been evolving independently for millions of years, the statement said.
The findings, published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, reshape understanding of diversity within one of the world's most iconic lizard groups, the same lineage that includes the Komodo dragon, it said.
"These three species suggest there may still be a lot left to discover in northern Australia, even when it comes to large reptiles," said co-lead author Stephen Zozaya from ANU. ■
