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
Roughneck monitor lizard Roughneck monitor lizard The black roughneck monitor lizard, "Varanus rudicollis", is a species of monitor lizard found in Southeast Asian countries of Thailand, Burma, and Malaysia. It is also found in Indonesia on Sumatra and islands of the Riau Archipelago It is sometimes known simply as the roughneck monitor lizard. In Thailand is called "h̄èā cĥāng" (; "elephant bark"). The habitat of "Varanus rudicollis" is limited to primary and secondary rainforest and mangrove swamps. In the wild the black roughneck monitor is very rarely seen, but whether this is because of its rarity or its very secretive behavior is uncertain.