Description
Hatchlings and juveniles are a dark grey in colour, with regular rows of bright yellow-green dots which are particularly noticeable on the back. As they achieve adulthood, they turn completely black, losing the colourful dots. Fully grown specimens reach 90–120 centimetres (35–47 in) in length, with the males slightly larger than the females.
The black tree monitor is generally well adapted for living in trees. Its tail is particularly long, sometimes two-thirds of the overall body length, and is used in a prehensile manner to stabilize the animal in the branches. In fact, the tail is used solely for this purpose, as the animal does not evince the defensive tail-lashing behaviour seen in other monitor species. The black tree monitor’s feet sport large claws and adhesive soles, which help it to maintain grip in the trees. It also has unusually long teeth for a monitor of its size, which may help it to hold on to prey it catches in the canopy. Black tree monitors in the wild are reported to be nervous and high-strung; they will flee if threatened, and if handled carelessly, will scratch, bite, and defecate on the offender.
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