In a message dated 9/30/99 5:42:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time, BartlemaL@emh10.bliss.army.mil writes: > Well, now that explains the family name, Varanidae, for me. That was one I > had wondered about. I assume the progression is Arab. "varan/ouran/waran" to Late Latin _Varanus_ (the genus name for monitor lizards) to "Varanidae". --Nick Pharris