Lawrence´s girdled lizard
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Endemic, SVL 65 - 70 mm, max SVL 75 mm
A small,thin girdled lizard with a flattened body and triangular, flat head with rough head shields. The nasals are slightly swollen and in contact, separating the rostral and the frontonasal, the subocular is separated from the lip. The lower eyelids are opaque.There are six occipitals, the middle pair being enlarged. The dorsal scales are keeled on the bsck and moderately spiny on the flanks,in 24 transverse and 22 longitudinal rows. The ventrals are mostly smooth, and in 12 longitudinal rows. There is a pair of enlarged preanal plates. and eight large femoral pores on each thigh. The tail has whorls of elongate, large spines. The back, head, and tail are dark brown, with irregular black infusions and a few yellow specks on the haed and forebody. The belly is off-white to grey-brown, with a black-flecked throat. Biology : A rare species, living in rock cracks in small outcrops receiving frequent fog. (SA RDB Resticted) Habitat : Succulent karroid veld. Range : Richtersveld in N.Cape.