There are three known Varanus acanthurus subspecies: acanthurus, brachyurus, and insulanicus. Due to strict Australian animal export laws, nearly all ackie monitors outside of Australia are captive-bred. Although they are generally advertised as either “red” or “yellow” ackies, these titles are more relevant to the animal’s color rather than its genetics, and it’s quite possible that most ackies in the hobby are hybrids.
Distribution information sourced from “Monitor Lizards: Natural History, Captive Care & Breeding” by Bernd Eidenmüller, page 40.
Physical descriptions sourced from VivaCura.