The Ornate Monitor is a species of Monitor lizard

Monitor lizard

Monitor lizards are usually large reptiles, although some can be as small as in length. They have long necks, powerful tails and claws, and well-developed limbs. Most species are terrestrial, but arboreal and semiaquatic monitors are also known...

, native to West Africa

West Africa

West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...

. They live in lowland rainforests. It belongs to the subgenus

Subgenus

In biology, a subgenus is a taxonomic rank directly below genus.In zoology, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between the generic name and the specific epithet: e.g. the Tiger Cowry of the Indo-Pacific, Cypraea tigris Linnaeus, which...

 Polydaedalus along with the Nile Monitor

Nile monitor

The Nile Monitor, Water Leguaan, or River Leguaan is a large member of the monitor lizard family ....

, the Savannah Monitor

Savannah monitor

The savanna monitor is a species of monitor lizard native to Africa. The species is known as Bosc's monitor in Europe, since French scientist Louis Bosc first described the species...

, and other monitors.

Description

Ornate Monitors are quite large and can grow up to 2 meters in length.Until 1997 they were considered a sub species of the nile monitor, but since then researchers found out they are their own species of monitor (varanus ornatus).