Here is a "key" to find out what kind of Cordylus you have, begin to the left with 1, and read to the right, the numbers to the right tells you where to go if the text in that box is correct, else continiue reading down with next box.

Rostral and frontonasal in contact with one another, separating the nasais; occipitais usually spinose

Rostral and frontonasal usually separated by the nasals or supranasals (sometimes in tropidosternum and odd individuals of the cordylus group, nasals are separated); occipitals if present usually non-spinose

A transverse series of 4 occipitals present

A transverse series of 6 occipitals present

Occipitals large, with well-developed elongate spines; interparietal as large as frontoparietals; dorsal scales strongly spinose, in 22-25 transverse and 10-12 longitudinal series; ventral scales imbricate

C.giganteus

Occipitals moderate to small, spines short; interparietal smaller than frontoparietals; dorsal scales not strongly spinose, in 26-28 transverse and l-20 longitudinal series; ventral scalesnon-imbricate

Head strongly depressed; prefrontals in long contact with one another; dorsal scales subquadrangular; laterals a little smaller than dorsals; yellow crossbars on back

C. vandami vandami

Head moderately depressed; prefrontals in short contact with one another; dorsal scales more or less rounded and irregular; laterals much smaller than dorsals. with wide granular interspaces; no yellow crossbars on back

C. vandami perkoensis

Head and body slender; occipitals small and feebly spinose; dorsal scales rounded, somewhat irregular; with considerable granular interspaces, in about 30 transverse and 16-18 longitudinal series; scaling generally only slightly spinose

C. laevigatus

Head and body stout, occipitals moderately large and more or less spinose; dorsal scales quadrangular to subquadrangular, more or less regular and contiguous or with small granular interspaces; scaling generally fairly sharply spinose

Occipitals more or less subequal in size; dorsal scales in 34-42 transverse and 20-22 longitudinal series; ventrals in 28-30 transverse and 14 longitudinal rows

C.warreni warreni

Occipitals unequal in size, 2nd pair from the middle largest; dorsal scales in 34-38 transverse and 20-22 longitudinal series; ventrals in 28-30 transverse and 14 longitudinal rows; scales generally more sharply spinose than in warreni

C. warreni barbertonenris

Occipitals subequal in size, or 2nd pair from the middle slightly larger; dorsal scales in 24-28 transverse and 16-18 longitudinal series; ventrals in 28-30 transverse and 14 longitudinal rows

C. warreni depressus

Occipitals unequal, outermost pair largest and innermost smallest; dorsal scales in 24-26 transverse and 18 longitudinal series; ventrals in 24-26 transverse and 10-12 longitudinal rows

C. warreni breyeri

Two nasals present, comprising a large supranasal and a small inferior nasal, in which the nostril is pierced; lower eyelid with a more or less transparent dise in the middie

A single large nasal present; lower eyelid scaly and opaque, exceptionally semitransparent (eg. C. campbelli)

Dorsal scales in 38-46 transverse and 28-40 longitudinal series; 10-19 femoral pores on each side in males; whorls on tail each composed of two rows of scales (i.e. one large and one small); a black spot or streak on either side of neck

C. polyzonus

Dorsal scales in 31-37 transverse and 32-36 longitudinal series; 4-8 femoral pores on each side in males; whorls on tail each composed of a single row of large scales; no black spot or streak present on side of neck

C.jordani

Occipitals absent; scales on nape just behind head very small and granular

Occipitals present; scales on nape just behind head not or but little smaller than dorsals

Dorsal scales subequal, with no granular interspaces, in 40-43 transverse and 20-22 longitudinal series; scales on sides of body similar to or a little smaller than dorsals

C. coeruleo-punctatus

Dorsal scales unequal-sized, with granular interspaces, in 10-18 longitudinal series; scales on sides of body small and granular and well-differentiated from dorsals

Dorsal scales in 34-36 transverse and 10-12 longitudinal series, those of the two median longitudinal rows, only slightly larger than adjoining scales

C. capensis capensis

Dorsal scales distinctly heterogeneous, in 45-54 transverse and 12-18 longitudinal series, those of the two median longitudinal rows usually much larger than adjoining scales

C. capensis robertsi

Nasal more or less rounded, swollen or hemispherical; nostril pierced about the middie of nasal

Nasal more or less elongate, not or but slightly swollen; nostril pierced in the lower posterior part of nasal

Frontonasal pentagonal, well-separated from loreals by suture of prefrontals and nasals; prefrontals separated by suture of frontonasal and frontal; dorsal scales in 15-16 transverse and 20-22 longitudinal series; a squat and very heavily armoured form

C. cataphractus

Frontonasal hexagonal, in contact on sides with loreal; pre-frontals usually in contact with one another; dorsal scales in over 20 transverse series; more or less slender and lightly to moderately armoured forrns

Temporals small and keeled; interparietal elongate, in contact with or not quite reaching frontoparietals; dorsal scales in 27-31 transverse rows; ventrals in 16-18 longitudinal series; scales on sides of body, on limbs and tail at most shortly spinose

Temporals large and strongly ridged; interparietal small and diamond-shaped, not nearly reaching frontoparietals; dorsal scales in 22-24 transverse rows; ventrals in 12 longitudinal series; scales on sides of body, on limbs and tail all sharply spinose

Nostril tubular; lower eyelid scaly and opaque; femoral pores 9-10, with row of scales anterior thereto not or but slightly enlarged; 2nd and 3rd supraoculars smooth

C. namaquensis

Nostril not or but feebly tubular; lower eyelid with a semi-transparent disc; femoral pores 4, with a row of much enlarged scales anterior thereto; 2nd and 3rd supraoculars rugose

C. campbelli

Dorsal scales in 24 longitudinal series; median pair of occipitals not or but feebly projecting behind; subocular usually bordering lip below: nasals distinctly swollen.

C. peersi

Dorsal scales in 16 longitudinal series; median pair occipitals distinctly projecting behind; subocular not bordering lip below; nasals only slightly swollen

C. lawrenci

Anterior parietals usually a little smaller than posterior, some-times equal to or slightly larger; temporals keeled, not or but shortly spinose; dorsal scales moderately large, in over 20 transverse rows; ventrals more or less smooth and non-imbricate, in 12-14 longitudinal series

Head not or but feebly depessed and only slightly expanded in temporal region; head shields distinctly rugose and striated; laterals all or partly smaller than dorsals, with granular inter- spaces

Head depressed and expanded in temporal region; head shields more or less smooth or finely rugose; laterals as large as and similar to dorsals

Nasals usually in contact, separating frontonasal and rostral; interparietal small and rhomboidal, not reaching fronto- parietals; gulars smooth mesially, faintly keeled towards the sides; dorsal scales non-mueronate but finely serrated, in 22-24 transverse and 20-22 longitudinal series

C.jonesii

Similar to C. jonesii, but laterals for 5-6 rows about middle of body, equal to dorsals, remainder as in jonesii; frontonasal large and in contact on sides with loreal (as in cordylus); gulars all smooth; intermediate between jonesii & cordylus

C. cordylus tasmani

Frontonasal broader than long and in contact on each side with loreal

Frontonasal reduced in size, longer than broad, separated from loreal on each side by suture of prefrontal and nasal

General form somewhat robust; upper head shields more or less smooth anteriorly, feebly rugose posteriorly; dorsal scales in 23-30 transverse and 16-22 longitudinal series; ventrals in 20-27 transverse and 10-14 longitudinal series;6-9 femoral pores; 13-17 lamellae under 4th toe; length from snout to vent over 80 mm.

C. cordylus cordylus

General form slender; upper head shields finely rugose throughout; dorsal scales in 27-28 transverse and 24-26 longitudinal rows; ventrals in 24-26 transverse and 16 longitudinal series; 4-6 femoral pores; 10-14 lamellae under 4th toe; length from snout to vent about 65 mm.

C. cordylus minor