---
title: "Mertens' Water Monitor"
description: "Varanus mertensi — Reptiles. Mertens' water monitor (Varanus mertensi) is a species of monitor lizard in the family Varanidae."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/animal/mertens-water-monitor
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Mertens' Water Monitor

> Varanus mertensi — Reptiles. Mertens' water monitor (Varanus mertensi)  is a species of monitor lizard in the family Varanidae.

- Scientific name: *Varanus mertensi*
- Category: `reptiles` (Reptiles)
- Habitats: `freshwater` (Lakes & rivers)
- iNaturalist observations: 1020
- Wikidata: [Q1819998](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1819998)
- iNaturalist taxon: [39445](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/39445)

## Names

- en: Mertens' Water Monitor
- de: Mertens Wasserwaran
- es: Varano de Agua de Mertens
- fr: Varan de Mertens
- nl: Mertens watervaraan

## Countries with the most observations

AU (905)

## Summary

Mertens' water monitor (Varanus mertensi)  is a species of monitor lizard in the family Varanidae. The species is native to northern Australia, and is a wide-ranging, actively foraging, opportunistic predator of aquatic and riparian habitats. It is named after German herpetologist Robert Mertens.

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mertens%27_water_monitor

## Photo

![Mertens' Water Monitor](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/mertens-water-monitor/medium.jpg)

Photo: Felix Puff · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/77500258

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/mertens-water-monitor?lang=en` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).