Spencer's goanna Spencer's goanna Spencer's goanna or Spencer's monitor ("Varanus spenceri" ) is a species of monitor lizard in the family Varanidae. The species is endemic to Australia. The specific name, "spenceri", is in honor of English-Australian biologist Walter Baldwin Spencer. "V. spenceri" is native to the Barkly region in central Queensland/Northern Territory, Australia. "V. spenceri" can grow to a total length (including tail) of up to . Spencer's monitor is generally heavier than a similarly sized monitor of another species due to its "stockier" build. It has sharp claws which it uses for digging burrows. "Varanus spenceri" eats anything it can
Goanna Other goannas are adapted to swampy coastal environments, such as the mangrove goanna ("V. semiremex"). Further still, the Mertens' water monitor (water goanna – "V. mertensi"), found in lagoons and rivers across northern Australia, is streamlined for swimming, using its tail as a paddle. Most other goannas are good swimmers, but tend not to voluntarily venture into the water. The diets of goannas vary greatly depending on the species and the habitat. Prey can include all manner of small animals: insects, smaller lizards, snakes, mammals, birds, and eggs. Meals are often eaten whole, thus the size of their meals may