Komodo dragon collision between Australia and Southeast Asia allowed these larger varanids to move back into what is now the Indonesian archipelago, extending their range as far east as the island of Timor. The Komodo dragon was believed to have differentiated from its Australian ancestors 4 million years ago. However, recent fossil evidence from Queensland suggests the Komodo dragon actually evolved in Australia before spreading to Indonesia. Dramatic lowering of sea level during the last glacial period uncovered extensive stretches of continental shelf that the Komodo dragon colonised, becoming isolated in their present island range as sea levels rose afterwards. Extinct Pliocene
Warren's girdled lizard Warren's girdled lizard Warren’s girdled lizard (Smaug warreni ) is a species of relatively large, flattened lizard in the family Cordylidae. The species is endemic to Southern Africa. The specific name, "warreni", is in honor of English zoologist Ernest Warren (1871–1945), who collected the holotype. "S. warreni" is known from the Lebombo Mountains in northeastern South Africa and eastern Swaziland. The preferred habitat of "S. warreni" is rock outcrops on wooded mountain slopes. A shy species, "S. warreni" eats large arthropods and small vertebrates. "S, warreni" has a snout to vent length (SVL) of . The back is dark brown