McLachlan´s girdled lizard
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Endemic, SVL 50 - 70 mm, max SVL 73 mm
This small girdled lizard has a very flattened body and triangular, flattened head with rough head shields. There are only 2-3 supraciliaries.The supranasals are in contact, separating the rostral and the frontonasal.The nasals are small and slightly tubular. The anterior parietals are larger than the posterior ones. There are 5 - 8 spiny occipitals, and no enlarged chin shields. The dorsal scales are small, obliquely keeled and in 26 - 28 transverse and 21 - 25 longitudinal rows. The laterals are spiny and larger than the dorsals. The ventrals are smooth, in 12-14 longitudinal rows. There is a pair of feebly enlarged preanal plates and 7 - 12 femoral pores are present on each thigh. The tail has whorls of very large spines. The back, tail and limbs are olive-brown, with numerous, irregular black markings and a few yellow speckles. the flanks are reddish-brown. The head is dark brown to blackish, with a faint, dark line from the snouth through the eye. The belly is creamy white. Biology : (SA RDB, Restricted) Shy and usually solitary, preferring to bask near cover. Seldom moves far from its retreat in narrow cracks on low sandstone outcrops. The tail is easily shed and many specimens have incomplete or regenerated tails. Habitat : Succulent karroid veld Range : From Koue Bokkeveld north along eastern fringes of Cederberg and Bokkeveld to nieuwoudtville.