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Scientists name large but elusive lizard

Scientists spent a decade chasing a big new species

By Susan Milius

- More than 2 years ago

Scientists couldn’t see the lizard for the trees.

GOTCHA After a decade-long hunt, herpetologists have tracked down and documented a new species of monitor lizard on the Philippine island of Luzon. Joseph Brown

But now they’ve tracked down and named Varanus bitatawa, a skittish reptile that’s hard to spot even though it grows up to 2 meters long and sports bright yellow speckles.