First fossil of Varanus Merrem, 1820 (Squamata: Varanidae) from the Miocene Siwaliks of Pakistan

In the ‘50s of XX century, a German expedition lead by Richard Dehm collected large amount fossil remains from northern Pakistan. Among these was an isolated trunk vertebra lizard, which is here referred to Varanus sp. The collecting site this specimen not precisely known, but it most likely comes middle early late Miocene Siwalik sediments Chinji Formation. This first published record lizard Neogene Pakistan and adds very patchy Merrem, 1820 in Asia. It further supports previous reconstructions warm climate for Siwaliks.