Monitor Lizards: Water, Smell, Taste

How well do monitor lizards retain water?

While monitor lizards can generally retain water fairly well, their overall ability to retain water depends on their environment.  Shifts in temperature, as well as climate, will also affect a lizard's ability to retain water. Monitors that live near areas of water and don't find the need to retain water as often, have more difficulty retaining water in dryer environments. In contrast, those that that live near dryer areas have a greater ability to retain water. Monitor lizards living in tropical, humid climates, are better able to retain water as the air itself contains more water. Smaller animals, living in dry areas, that are able to hide in burrows and trees, are more successful at retaining water than their larger counterparts, which have more difficulty escaping the dry, arid heat.

Water monitors are able to track scents from their tongues

Monitor lizards' fork-like tongues allow them to taste the air, which in turn lets them detect movement and prey. Taste buds on their tongues, as well as organs near the tip of their nose, allow them to almost triangulate the location of a small depending on which side of the tongue they are locating a scent. Water monitors also use their tongues to test their prey before consuming it. They can use these techniques both underground and under water.

Male and female water monitors distinguish themselves through smell

It is hard to distinguish a male monitor from a female one based purely on physical appearance. Monitor lizards are able to identify other males and females with their sense of smell. The lizards release pheromones, and mark their territory in similar fashion to other animals (dogs for example - by urinating). Monitors can drag their tails to mark their territories, and will use these markings to protect their territory - in particular, food, shelter, and basking areas. They will also mark one another by tasting each others' heads, shoulders, and pelvic girdle.