New Giant Lizard Discovery "an Unprecedented Surprise"

nationalgeographic ^ | April 7, 2010 | James Owen

[JoeProBono]

It has a double penis, is as long as a tall human, and lives in a heavily populated area of the Philippines. Yet somehow the giant lizard Varanus bitatawa has gone undetected by science until now.

Long known to Filipino tribal hunters, the monitor lizard was identified as a new species in 2009 via its DNA, scale pattern, size, and peculiar penis, a new study says.

At about six and a half feet (two meters) long, the new lizard species is closely related to the world's largest living lizard, the Komodo dragon. Unlike the Komodo, though, Varanus bitatawa has evolved to be a vegetarian.

[JoeProBono]

A Varanus bitatawa lizard on its home island of Luzon in the Philippines.

[DejaJude]

Looks like Jar Jar Binks.

[JaguarXKE]

Gee, I thought global warming had killed them all off!

[ex-snook]

Leaping Lizards!

[donhunt]

It would make a spiffy pair of shoes.

[calex59]

The arrogance of scientists. The natives have known about them, and most likely eaten them, for centuries probably but yet they have now been labeled a “new” species because some jackass scientist happened to stumble over them.

[Wontsubmit]

Vegetarian lizard... kills plants.

[SmokingJoe]

It has a double penis, is as long as a tall human........At about six and a half feet (two meters) long

So it’s got a penis that is longher than it’s entire body?
And two of them to boot?

[Sacajaweau]

Says it's been long known to tribal hunters.....And we just found out?? Naw....They found a freak one and decided it was really, really important.....NOT

Just another ugly lizard...

[GOPPachyderm]

lol

[Sacajaweau]

Just a way to get grant money....

[Shaun_MD]

Wear them while you are eating some Rocky Mountain Spotted Owl burgers :D

[SmokingJoe]

The natives have known about them, and most likely eaten them, for centuries probably but yet they have now been labeled a “new” species because some jackass scientist happened to stumble over them

Pretty much. If some guy at Haaarvard don't know about it, it's not a species. The local witch doctor begs to differ.

[big'ol_freeper]

If it eats grass I want one in my back yard.

[ElayneJ]

It only weights 22 pounds - looks much bigger than that.

[AndrewB]

Journalism 101: Always lead with the double penis.

[JoeProBono]

;-{)

[DannyTN]

I read that as "It has a double penis as long as a tall human,".

And was suffering some major penis envy. LOL

[JoeProBono]

[Riley]

New Giant Lizard Discovery "an Unprecedented Surprise"

With a purposeful grimace and a terrible sound
he pulls the spitting high tension wires down...