Head to head
Argus Monitor vs Nile Monitor
The argus monitor and Nile monitor are both large, adaptable monitor lizards bold enough to raid crocodile nests for eggs, but they differ sharply in lifestyle, one a confident digger of extensive burrows, the other a powerful swimmer that has gone on to become invasive far outside its native range.
| Argus Monitor | Nile Monitor | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Varanus panoptes | Varanus niloticus |
| Crocodile-egg raiding | Known to dig up and eat crocodile eggs | Known to raid crocodile nests, sometimes cooperatively |
| Swimming ability | Not primarily aquatic | A powerful, confident swimmer, often near water |
| Tail use | Not a primary defence weapon | A whip-like tail used as a powerful defensive strike |
| Burrowing behaviour | Digs extensive, sometimes branching burrows | Not a defining trait |
| Invasive status | Not a documented invasive species | An established invasive species in parts of Florida |
| Native range | Northern Australia and parts of New Guinea | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Argus Monitor vs Nile Monitor: common questions
Do both the argus monitor and Nile monitor raid crocodile nests?
Yes, both are known to dig up and eat crocodile eggs, though the Nile monitor is specifically documented doing so cooperatively, with one individual distracting a guarding female crocodile while another raids the nest.
Which monitor lizard is the better swimmer, the argus monitor or the Nile monitor?
The Nile monitor, which is a powerful, confident swimmer that spends a great deal of time in and around water, using a flattened tail to propel itself, a trait not emphasised to the same degree in the argus monitor.
Has the Nile monitor become invasive anywhere, unlike the argus monitor?
Yes, following releases and escapes from the exotic pet trade, the Nile monitor has established a self-sustaining invasive population in parts of Florida, while the argus monitor has no comparable documented invasive population outside its native range.