Waterberg girdled lizard
|
|
Endemic, SVL 110-120 mm, max SVL 145 mm.
A large lizard distinguished from the similar Van Dam's girdled lizard by its brown colour and spiny appearance. It has a flattenend body and triangular head. The nasals are separated by the rostral and the frontonasal. There are 3-4 spiny occipitals separated in the middle by 0-3 smaller scales. The dorsal scales are keeled,becoming very spiny on the flanks and are arranged in 26-28 transverse rows. The smooth ventral scales are in 12-14 longitudinal rows. There is a pair of enlarged preanal plates. Males have 10-14 (usually 11-13) femoral pores on each thigh. The tail has whorls of large, spiny scales, that are almost hooked on the sides. The back is brown to yellow- or greyish-brown, with irregular pale yellowish bars and darker blotches. The head is dark brown and the lips white. The flanks are brown to pale greyish-brown, and the belly brown to dark brown; males have white glandular scales on their thighs. The tail is brown with scattered dark and light spines. Biology and breeding : A shy species; usually found sheltering deep shaded cracks on the cool side of rock outcrops. Mostly solitary or in pairs. Two to four large babies measuring 110-120 mm TL, are born in summer. Habitat : Prefers rock outcrops in open savannah. Range : Found in Waterberg and surrounding areas, N. Province.