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Description:Related to C.tropidosternum tropidosternum. Head more or
less heart-shaped, not or but slightly depressed and not expanded in temporal
region, from a little longer than to 1,3 times as long as broad; length of
head about twice depth. Head shields all strongly rugose Nasals slightly swollen
and in contact behind rostral. Frontonasal reduced in size, longer than broad,
separated from loreal by suture of prefrontal and nasal, usually 4-sided,
but sometimes pentagonal and in short contact with frontal behind. Anterior
parietals smaller than posterior. Interparietal small, 4-sided and exceptionally
separating anterior parietals. A transverse row of six large, non-spinose
occipital shields. Dorsal scales strongly keeled, reticulately ribbed, mucronate
and with hinder margins serrated (especially posteriorly), arranged in 22-24
more or less regular transverse rows from occiput to root of tail; scales
on sides of body distinctly smaller than dorsals and separated by granular
interspaces; from 20-22 scales across middle of body between lateral folds.
Ventral plates in 22-24 regular transverse and 12 or 14 longitudinal series,
the two median rows only being broader than long, the remainder longer than
broad. Gular scales small, usually smooth mesially and obtusely keeled towards
the sides. Males with 4-8 (usually 5-6) femoral pores on each side and 2-4
rows of swollen, modified, glandular scales anterior thereto. Digits short
and stout; about 14 scales under 4th toe.
Colour: Dirty straw colour, greyish-brown to reddish-brown or brown
above, sometimes uniform, but more often with series of irregular, dark brown
to blackish spots or blotches (sometimes asymmetrically paired), down middle
of back and tail; head uniforinly brown or with a few small scattered pale
specks; a broad black lateral band on either side from eye to groin. Lower
surfaces creamy to dirty white or light greyish-brown, chin and throat sometimes
straw yellow; femoral pores and adjacent modified scales yellow.
Dimensions: Male (T.M. 3772-Geelhoutkop), H. & B. 73, tail incomplete,
length head 23, breadth head 17,8, forelimb 22, hindlimb 30, foot 13 mm. Female
(T.M. 12869-Venice), H. & B. 82, tail incomplete, length head 23, breadth
head 17, forelimb 23, hindlimb 26, foot 12 mm.
Field notes: Largely confined to bushveld type of country, where they
are usually found living under the loose bark of dead trees or in the holes
or hollows of living trees, often in the vicinity of human habitations and
cultivated lands; also found under stones, dead logs and brush-wood, where
suitable trees are not available. Diet consists largely of insects and their
larvae, but in season, termites are favoured to the exclusion of everything
else. and it is then that these lizards really thrive and add plenty of fatty
tissue. The young, 2-4 in number, are born in summer and measure about 42
mm. in total length.
Distribution: See map.