The lace monitor grows to between 1.5 and 2 metres in length, it is a dark steel grey above with pale yellow or cream bands or rows of spots. The underside is cream. The jaws and snout are usually strongly barred with yellow and dark grey. A second colour form known as Bell’s phase occurs in some areas of Queensland which has strong dark grey and yellow bands all along the body. The toes are equipped with long, strong claws, which are used for climbing. The tongue is long and forked like a snake. Monitors are the only lizards that have a forked tongue.