Giant Lizard From Philippines is a New Species, Scientists Conclude

A 6.5-foot-long monitor lizard discovered in 2004 in the mountains of the Philippines is a previously unidentified species, researchers have concluded. After capturing an adult last year, they were able to determine the monitor is new to science.

Called the Northern Sierra Madre Forest Monitor Lizard, or Varanus bitatawa, the lizard eats fruit and snails, unlike many other monitors, including Komodo dragons, which are scavengers. The new species spends much of its time in trees.

The chief of the Philippines environment department said the discovery of "such a large, charismatic, and strikingly distinct new species of vertebrate" shows how little is yet known about the region´s biodiversity.

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