also: こがねおおとかげ
quince monitor; yellow-head monitor
A species of monitor lizard (Varanus melinus) native to Indonesia. The name is usually written in katakana.
The quince monitor is a large lizard that lives in Indonesia.
I saw a quince monitor at the zoo.
Hiragana spelling, also common.
Kanji spelling is rare and mainly used in specialized contexts; the katakana form is strongly preferred.
The Japanese name コガネオオトカゲ literally means 'golden large lizard', from 黄金 (kogane, 'gold') + 大 (ō, 'large') + トカゲ (tokage, 'lizard'). The exact origin of the name is uncertain, but it likely refers to the yellowish coloration of the species.