Megalania is an extinct species of giant Monitor Lizard part of the megafaunal assemblage that inhabited Asutralia during the Pleistocence Era It is the largest terrestrial lizard known to have existed, reaching an estimated length of 3.5 to 7 metres and weighing between 97–1,940 kg but the fragmentary nature of known remains make estimates highly questionable
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Proposed Megalania skeleton
The youngest fossil remains of giant monitor lizards in Australia date to around 50,000 years ago. The first indigenous settlers of Australia might have encountered megalania and been a key factor in megalania's extinction
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Proposed Megalania skeleton
Megalania could possibly shares a sister-taxon relationship with the modern Komodo Dragon, though its closest living relative is the Lace Monitor. Like these relatives, it's likely Megalania was a venomous animal, and if that's the case it's the largest venomous vertebrate to ever live
Fossils of Megalania have been found throughout central and eastern Australia, as far south as Naracoorte Caves, South Australia.
Megalania sprinting speed is estimated to have been between 5.8-6.7 mph, and it is closely similar to that of the Australian freshwater crocodile
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Early man finding Megalania
the Lace monitor is the closest living relative of the Megalania. While the Lace Monitor is its nearest living Australian relative, the Komodo dragon also has a part here
Though it resembles one, the Komodo is not a direct descendant of the dinosaurs. They do however share a common ancestor from some 300 million years ago. On Komodo, the dragon is king. It eats any and all of the other large animals on the island, including wild boar, deer, water buffalo, dogs and goats
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Megalania fighting another Megalania
Scientists estimate that Megalania went extinct around 40,000 years ago. Aboriginal Australians arrived on the continent at least 65,000 years ago a time when Neanderthals were still alive in Europe raising the possibility that they lived alongside Megalania for several thousand years.
