The black water monitor from Thailand (type locality: Amphoe La-ngu, Satun Prov., Thailand, and Thai-Malaysian border area) was formerly the subspecies V. s. komaini, but now is regarded as a junior synonym and melanistic population of V. s. macromaculatus.[1] It is known as the "black dragon" or "black water monitor" (มังกรดำ, เหี้ยดำ) in Thai[12]