Tasman's girdled lizard
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Endemic, SVL 65 - 75 mm, max SVL 81 mm
A small girdled lizard with a rounded body and triangular head, that is not obviously flattened and has slightly rough head shields. The nasals are usually in contact, separating the rostral and the frontonasal, which is usually in contact with the loreals. There are six small, non-spiny occipitals. The dorsal scales are large, slightly keeled and in 22-30 transverse and 16-20 longitudinal rows. The ventrals are smooth and in 10-12 longitudinal rows. There is a pair of of feebly enlarged preanal plates and both sexes have 4-6 femoral pores on each thigh. The tail has whorls of large spines. The back is reddish-brown to mahogany, with irregular darker markings, sometimes with a pale cream, irregular vertebral stripe. The belly is dirty yellow to dark red-brown. Biology and breeding : Lives under the 'apron' of dead leaves on tall aloes, or on dead aloe stems lying on stony slopes; it can also be found under the bark of trees or in piles of rotting spekboom trunks, and will occupy cracks in limestone or sandstone outcrops. It feeds on small invertebrates. It is usually shy and difficult to approach. One to three young (70-75mm TL) are born in late summer(february-march). Habitat : Mesic thicket. Range : Algoa Basin in E.Cape, including St Croix Island.