Body temperature 



Date on body temperature of monitors in natural setting were 

 obtained for r he first time by our expedition on the Island of 

 Komodo. The cloacal temperature was measured by deep insertion 

 of a mercury thermometer, calibrated to an accuracy of 0.5°, into 

 the cloaca. The measurement was usually done in the morning at the 

 withdrawal of the monitors from the cage snares placed in the shade 

 into which they had fallen the day before. As a rule, the tempera- 

 ture of the air at a height of 0. 5 m from the ground was also 

 observed simultaneously. (see Table 3.) 



From the table it is seen that -he body temperature of active 

 monitors, depending on the temperature of 'he medium, fluctuates 

 between 26 and 33°^Cj i.e., it is found within 1 imi s that are 

 customary for many other iropical lizards. These data agree well 

 with the observations of G. Lederer (1942), according to which the 

 optimal temperature of I he medium for keeping monitors in captivity 

 lies within the range of 25 to 30° [c]. Our observations showed 

 that at a temperature of the air of over 30° [c], the monitors try 

 to keep in the shade and, in case of an obligatory stay in the sun, 

 for instance at the devouring of a prey that lies out in the open, 

 from time to time they open .heir mouths wide and breathe out 

 repeatedly, thus contributing to the cooling of the body like 

 mammals devoid of sweat glands. 



Table 1. 



Marking of monitors trapped on the Island of Komodo in August 1962 



No. 



An i ma Is 

 Marked 



Sex 



Date 

 Marked 



Length Torso 

 with Head Tail Tot al 



Site of 

 Release 



2 



3 



4 



5 



6 



7 



8 



9 



10 



11 



12 



10 



11 

 12 

 13 

 14 

 15 

 16 

 17 

 18 

 19 

 20 

 30 



ma 1 e 



f email 



male 



ma le 



f ema 1< 



ma le 



male 



male 



male 



male 



male 



male 



Aug. 1 



Aug. 4 



Aug. 4 



Aug. 4 



Aug. 19 



Aug. 19 



Aug. 2 2 



Aug. 26 



Aug. 26 



Aug. 26 



Aug. 26 



Aug. 2 5 



46 mm. 



51 mm. 

 58 mm. 



66 mm. 

 50 mm. 



61 mm. 

 55 mm. 



62 mm. 



80 mm. 



67 mm. 

 76 mm. 



81 mm. 



69 



115 



Vic of base 

 camp (see f ig. ) 



Vic. upper camp 

 (see fig. ) 



