What is "varanoidea"

Varanoidea is a superfamily of lizards, including the well-known family Varanidae (the monitors or goanna). Also included in the Varanoidea are such extinct marine and semi- aquatic forms as mosasaurs and dolichosaurus, the venomous helodermatids ( Gila monsters and beaded lizards), the Lanthanotidae ( earless monitor lizards), and the extinct Necrosauridae.

Throughout their long evolutionary history, varanoids have exhibited great diversity, both in habitat and form. This superfamily includes the largest-known terrestrial lizard, Megalania (5–6 meters), and the largest extant lizard, the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis, 3+ metres).