Transvaal girdled lizard

Transvaal girdled lizard

Reichenow's spiny-tailed lizard

Kingdom
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Genus
SPECIES
Cordylus vittifer

The Transvaal girdled lizard or Reichenow's spiny-tailed lizard (Cordylus vittifer ) is a very flattened girdled lizard from northeastern South Africa, Swaziland, and southeastern Botswana. It prefers rock outcrops in open grassland and feeds on small arthropods, especially beetles.

Appearance

This species grows to about 95 mm long from snout to vent. Femoral pores are absent from females in some populations. Transvaal girdled lizards are distinguished from most other girdled lizards by elongation of the first row of dorsal scales directly behind the head. These scales are approximately twice the length from base to tip than the following dorsal scales on the neck. The dorsal coloration is variable—uniform straw brown to dark brown or with irregular dark spots and orange-yellow flanks. A pale stripe often runs down the middle of the back. A population in the northeastern Free State, South Africa has distinct dark lateral stripes and may represent a distinct species.

Geography

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Habits and Lifestyle

Lifestyle

Diet and Nutrition

References

1. Transvaal girdled lizard Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transvaal_girdled_lizard
2. Transvaal girdled lizard on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/110160307/115675393

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