Megalania (Megalania prisca )
Megalania.
Illustration: A Musser © Australian Museum
Lived: 1,600,000 - 40,000 years ago (Pleistocene)
Size: Length (head to tail): 5-7m
Description: Megalania was a giant goanna of the open forests, woodlands and perhaps grassland. It ate meat, including mammals, snakes, other reptiles and birds. Megalania was the largest goanna ever.
The nearest living relatives of Megalania are the Komodo Dragon of the Flores Islands in Indonesia, and other goannas.
Fossils: Megalania fossils have been found at many sites in inland Australia. They include a partial skeleton.
Did you know?: An adult Megalania may have weighed as much as 600kg.
