Varanidae Information & Varanidae Links at HealthHaven.com

Varanidae
	Varanus albigularis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia;
Phylum:	Chordata;
Class:	Sauropsida;
Order:	Squamata;
Suborder:	Scleroglossa;
Infraorder:	Anguimorpha;
Superfamily:	Varanoidea;
Family:	Varanidae; Merrem, 1820
Genera
	†Cherminotus; †Chilingosaurus; †Iberovaranus; †Pachyvaranus; †Palaeosaniwa; †Saniwides; †Telmasaurus; Varanus;

The extinct Saniwa feisti

Varanidae is a group of lizards of the superfamily Varanoidea. The family is a group of carnivorous lizards which includes the heaviest living lizard, the Komodo dragon, and the crocodile monitor which is the longest lizard in the world. Varanidae contains the living genus Varanus and a number of extinct taxa. Their closest living relatives are the anguid and helodermatid lizards.^[1]

[edit] References

^ Fry, B.G.; Vidal, N; Norman J.A.; Vonk F.J.; Scheib, H.; Ramjan S.F.R; Kuruppu S.; Fung, K.; Hedges, B.; Richardson M.K.; Hodgson, W.C.; Ignjatovic, V.; Summerhays, R.; Kochva, E. (February 2006). "Early evolution of the venom system in lizards and snakes" (PDF). Nature 439: 584–588. doi:10.1038/nature04328. http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v439/n7076/abs/nature04328.html.