Catalog of the Genus Varanus (Reptilia: Squamata: Varanidae) with new designations of a neotype and a lectotype

Most of the descriptive taxonomy of the genus Varanus pre-dates the introduction of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICSN) making the tracking of types a tedious effort. This catalog is an effort to fill a void in the taxonomy of the varanids by providing a list of the extant taxa, abbreviated synonymy, type specimens, type localities and relevant literature citations as far as is currently known. Type locality errors for several species are corrected. New lectotype and neotype specimens have been designated for V. salvator celebensis and V. kordensis respectively.