Gorongosa girdled lizard
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Endemic, SVL 75-100 mm, max SVL 112 mm female.
A large girdled lizard with a flattened body. Its small collar renders it unique among girdled lizards. The nasals are separated by the rostral and the frontonasal. There are 6 (rarely 7-8) occipitals. The dorsal scales are in 35-46 transverse rows and imbedded in granular skin. There is a pair of enlarged preanal plates, and only males have 8-11 femoral pores on each thigh. The tail has whorls of spiny scales that are largest on the sides. Males develop bright breeding colours. Females and juveniles are dark brown above, with transverse rows of small yellow spots, and grey brown below. Females have dark brown mottlong on the throat. Breeding males have a uniform blackish back with bright orange to yellow flanks. The chin and throat are blackish, whilst the belly is orange or yellow with a brown patch in front of the cloaka. Biology and breeding : This girdled lizard lives in cracked boulders in montane grassland or well-wooded lower slopes. Habitat :Prefers large rock outcrops in mesic savannah. Range : Found in the Gorongosa Mountains in Mozambique to the lower slopes of the Chimanimani Monutains in Zimbabwe.