The Dampier Peninsula monitor or Dampier Peninsula goanna (Varanus sparnus), described in 2014, is the smallest known species of monitor lizard, growing up to with a length of almost and a SVL of . It is believed to live only on the Dampier Peninsula of the Kimberley region in northern Western Australia. It is highly active, making it difficult to observe or photograph in the wild. It has short legs, an elongate body, a reddish-brown back with widely scattered black spots and "a ridged, circular and short prehensile tail."
Taxonomy It was described in 2014 and assigned to the genus Varanus. The type specimens were collected from the Dampier Peninsula in 2009.
The species name, sparnus, is a Latinisation of a Greek word meaning 'rare' or 'scarce' and is in reference to this species' isolation and small range on the Dampier Peninsula.
References World's smallest species of goanna found in WA's Kimberley Katrin Long. ABC News 30 December 2014
Further reading
"A new diminutive species of Varanus from the Dampier Peninsula, western Kimberley region, Western Australia." Paul Doughty, Luke Kealley, Alison Fitch and Stephen C. Donnellan. Records of the Western Australian Museum 29, pp. 128–140 (2014). PDF file downloadable at: MANUSCRIPT RECEIVED 31 OCTOBER 2014; ACCEPTED 31 OCTOBER 2014
World's smallest goanna lizard species discovered in the Kimberley region Di Yarrall, Western Australian Museum Created 30 Dec 2014 Discovery of a new species of goanna lizard from the Kimberley Western Australian Museum updated 7 Jan 2015