Monitorides

Monitorides is a taxonomic term used in some historical and alternative classifications to refer to a clade of squamate reptiles commonly known as monitor lizards and their extinct relatives. The concept has varied by author, and in current mainstream systematics the name Monitorides is not widely used or recognized as a formal, valid taxon.

In modern phylogenetic work, monitor lizards are placed within the family Varanidae, within the larger superfamily Varanoidea. Monitorides as a named clade is not consistently recognized and has largely fallen out of use in contemporary taxonomy.

Where included, members of Monitorides are typically characterized by robust bodies, elongated heads with strong jaws, sharp dentition, and well-developed limbs. They are generally terrestrial or semi-arboreal carnivores, occupying a range of habitats from forests to deserts.

Today, monitor lizards have a broad distribution across Africa, Asia, and Oceania, with diverse ecological roles. They are active predators, often exhibiting high maneuverability and, in some species, semi-aquatic or arboreal habits.

The fossil record for monitorid lineages extends back to the Cenozoic in some regions, but the precise placement of many extinct forms remains uncertain. As such, Monitorides is primarily of historical interest rather than a current, widely accepted taxonomic grouping.