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Perenties are fast sprinters, and can run using either all four legs or just their hind legs. This behaviour, known as "tripoding", is quite common in monitor species. They often stand on their back legs and tails to gain a better view of the surrounding terrain. Their long claws enable them to easily climb trees. Being able diggers, they can excavate a burrow for shelter in only minutes. Perenties generally avoid human contact and often retreat before they are seen. Their habitats consist of rocky outcroppings and gorges, with hard-packed soil and loose stones. Perenties are found in the arid desert areas of Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory, and Queensland. They concluded, "Calling all in this clade venomous implies an overall potential danger that does not exist, misleads in the assessment of medical risks, and confuses the biological assessment of squamate biochemical systems". reptilian oral secretions contribute to many biological roles other than to quickly dispatch prey". has had the effect of underestimating the variety of complex roles played by oral secretions in the biology of reptiles, produced a very narrow view of oral secretions and resulted in misinterpretation of reptilian evolution". Smith have argued that the suggestion of venom glands ". University of Washington biologist Kenneth V. scalaris) have been observed to cause swelling within minutes, localised disruption of blood clotting, and shooting pain up to the elbow, which can often last for several hours. Bites on the hand by Komodo dragons, ( V. Previously, bites inflicted by monitors were thought to be prone to infection because of bacteria in their mouths, but the researchers showed that the immediate effects are caused by mild envenomation. In late 2005, University of Melbourne researchers discovered that all monitors may be somewhat venomous. However, perenties are relatively lean lizards and are less bulky than either the Komodo dragon or the Asian water monitor.
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Its rival for the title of the third-largest lizard is the crocodile monitor, which although often longer, exceeding 2.4 m in length, is lighter and less bulky than the perentie.
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The lizard can grow up to 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) long, although the typical length is around 1.7 to 2.0 m (5 ft 7 in to 6 ft 7 in) and weigh up to 15 kg (33 lb)-maximum weight can be over 20 kg (44 lb). Its closest relatives belong to a lineage that gave rise to the sand goanna and the Argus monitor. Within the monitor genus Varanus, it lies within the subgenus Varanus. George Albert Boulenger moved it to the genus Varanus. Two subspecies of these reptiles could yet be identified.British zoologist John Edward Gray described the perentie in 1845 as Hydrosaurus giganteus, calling it the "gigantic water lizard". They can move very fast both on land and in water.
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These are lizards that have the unique ability to stand ‘tripod’ i.e., using their hind feet and their tail, when in danger or when searching for prey. The Argus Monitor is a species of large size Australian monitors that are common in the pet trade.