goannas
Large Australian reptiles
Goannas are large monitor lizards native to Australia, ranging from a few feet to over six feet long.
They're predatory reptiles with forked tongues, sharp claws, and powerful tails.
Australians use goanna broadly for any monitor lizard encountered in the bush: We spotted a goanna sunning itself on the rocks.
Large predatory Varanidae reptile
- reptileCold-blooded scaled vertebrate
- scalesPlates or weighing devices
- forked tongueSymbol of dishonest speech
- carnivoreCreature eating only animals
cold-blooded · claws · tail · burrow · basking · thermoregulation · predator · scavenger
Southern Hemisphere continent-country
- outbackRemote interior wilderness
- bushlandUncultivated native vegetation area
- woodlandForested land area
- desertTo leave behind completely
scrubland · termite mound · hollow log · tree trunk · rocky outcrop · creek · billabong · arid
Seeking wild food sources
- climbingAscending by physical effort
- diggingRemoving earth below
- runningSwift foot travel
- tongue flickingRapid oral probing
basking · ambush · scavenging · swimming · territorial · aggressive · defensive · hissing
Interconnected organisms and surroundings
- food chainEcological feeding hierarchy
- apex predatorUnpreyed-upon dominant hunter
- carrionPutrefying animal remains
- invertebratesAnimals without vertebral columns
nest raider · small mammals · cane toad · conservation · habitat loss · roadkill · wildlife · biodiversity
Aboriginal mythological creation era
- totemSpiritual clan symbol
- huntingPursuing wild game
- AboriginalAustralia's native peoples
- trackingMonitoring location over time
traditional knowledge · songlines · rock art · ceremony · ancestor · country · Tjukurpa · food source
monitor lizard
Large predatory Varanidae reptile
- reptileCold-blooded scaled vertebrate
- scalesPlates or weighing devices
- forked tongueSymbol of dishonest speech
carnivore · cold-blooded · claws · tail · burrow · basking · thermoregulation · predator · scavenger · venom
Australia
Southern Hemisphere continent-country
- outbackRemote interior wilderness
- bushlandUncultivated native vegetation area
- woodlandForested land area
desert · scrubland · termite mound · hollow log · tree trunk · rocky outcrop · creek · billabong · arid · tropical
foraging
Seeking wild food sources
tongue flicking · basking · ambush · scavenging · swimming · territorial · aggressive · defensive · hissing · tail whip
ecosystem
Interconnected organisms and surroundings
- food chainEcological feeding hierarchy
- apex predatorUnpreyed-upon dominant hunter
- carrionPutrefying animal remains
nest raider · invertebrates · small mammals · cane toad · conservation · habitat loss · roadkill · wildlife · biodiversity · native fauna
Dreamtime
Aboriginal mythological creation era
- totemSpiritual clan symbol
- huntingPursuing wild game
- AboriginalAustralia's native peoples
tracking · traditional knowledge · songlines · rock art · ceremony · ancestor · country · Tjukurpa · food source · spiritual
goannascrocodiles
Large aquatic reptiles
saltwater crocodiles · sea turtles · tortoises · snakes · freshwater turtles
goannasmammals
Hair-bearing, milk-producing animals
birds · koalas · kangaroos · wombats · platypuses
goannasgeckos
Adhesive-footed tropical lizards
skinks · house geckos · anoles · chameleons