P.i.inopinus (Red)
P.i.intermedus (Blue)
P.i.natalensis (Light blue)
P.i.natalensis (Light blue)
See below and behind the name for explanation..
P.i.wilhelmi (Dark green)
P.i.rhodesianus ( lilac)
Common flat lizard
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P.i.inopinus (Red) |
P.i.intermedus (Blue) |
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P.i.natalensis (Light blue) |
P.i.natalensis (Light blue) |
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See below and behind the name for explanation.. |
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P.i.wilhelmi (Dark green) |
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P.i.rhodesianus ( lilac) |
SVL varied from 65-80 mm - 90-120 mm ( See subspecies); max 129 mm.
A medium to large platy with opaque lower eyelids, each divided into series
of vertical septa. The supranasals are fused with the nasals. The middle row
of gulars is not very enlarged. The scales on the sides of the neck are conical
and enlarged, and may be spinose or rounded. The scales on the flanks are no
larger than those on the back. The ventrals are in 14 - 26 longitudinal rows
( see Subspecies). There are 12- 28 femoral pores in males. Females and juvenils
are black, with three buff stripes that sometimes have light spots between them.
The belly is brownish in the centre and white at the edges. Adult males have
varied coloration( see Subspecies)
Biology and breeding : This is the most widely distributed
and common platy. It lives under exfoliating rock flakes and may form dense
colonies ( for example Rhodes Grave in the Matopos, Zimbabwe). Two elongate
eggs (14-22 x 8-11) are laid in November-December in communal egg sites in a
sun-wawrmed, soil filled rock crack. The hatchlings (SVL 30-35mm) emerge in
late December-January. Habitat : Varied rock types (granite,
sandstone, quartzite) in mesic arid savannah. Range : Throughout
most of Zimbabwe ,N.Province and Mpumalanga, with peripheral races in S.Malawi,
E.Botswana, Swaziland and adjacent Mozambique and N.KwaZulu-Nathal. Subspecies
: Nine races recognized, eight of which occur in the region (the other
P.i.nyasae, occurs in Malawi and adjacent central Mozambique).
P.i.wilhelmi (Dark
green) has different-sized back scales, those covering the pale dorsal
stripes being the largest. The ventral scales are in 16-18 rows. It has dull
olive-green to brown back with a few scattered, pale spots. The tail is red,
becoming straw-coloured towards the tip, and the belly is blue, becoming black
in the centre. This race occurs in S.Mpumalanga. It may be more closely-related
to the Lebombo flat lizard, P.lebomboensis. All other
races have dorsal scales that uniform in size. A group of these three subspecies
with 20-22 ventral scale rows occurs north of the Southpansberg and south of
Zambezi river, the first two have the nasals in contact and four upper labials
in front of the subocular.
P.i.rhodesianus (lilac) is a large
race (SVL 100-120 mm); it has a blue-green to yellow-green head, with three
faint stripes. Its back is blue-green anteriorly (but red in specimens from
Mozambique), and red (in the west) or green (in the east) posteriorly. The tail
is greenish or yellowish. Two ventral colour phases occur: the īredī phase has
a blue throat with black collar and terracotta chest; the īgreenī phase has
a yellow throat with a black collar, and a blue or green chest. This subspecies
occurs in Zimbabwe (except in the north-east), E.Botswana and N.Province. P.i
nigrescens (Orange) is smaller (SVL 75-90
mm), and has a black head and body with faint yellow spotting on the rear. The
tail is bright orange. The chin and throat are black, with an irregular yellow
patch. The chest and belly are black, with scattered yellow scales. It occurs
in the vicinity of Shoshong Hills in NE Botswana. P.i.subniger
(Black) is similar in size to P.i.rhodesianus; it has five upper labials
in front of the subocular and the nasals are seperated. It has a dark green
back, becoming brown or black posteriorly (but uniform red in males from Trelaney,
Zimbabwe), with pale spots. The tail is orange. The throat is orange, yellow
or white, and the chset and belly are black. A group of three subspecies with
16-18 ventral scale rows occurs south of the Southpansberg; two have the occipinal
touching the parietal, and a bright green head and body. P.i.parvus
(Light green) is a small race (SVL 65-75 mm) and
has dark greeen back aneteriorly (and red-brown posteriorly), with numerous
pale spots. The tail is dull orange. The throat is pale blue with the collar
reduced to a black blotch on either side of the neck. The cheast and belly are
blue. The race is found on Blouberg in N.Province. P.i.natalensis
(Light blue) has grass-green back, with numerous
pale spots and three fant pale stripes. The tail is bright orange. The throat
is yellow or pale blue, usually with black blotches and black collar. The chest
is light blue, and the belly Prussian blue. It occurs in Swaziland and KwaZuluNatal.
P.i.intermedius (Blue) (SVL 85-100
mm) has the occipital separated from the parietal. The head and body are dull
green to brownish above, with fant stripes and numerous pale spots. The tail
is reddish to yellowish. The throat is blue and lacks collar. The chest is blue,
and belly blue-black in the centre. The subspecies is found in and around Pietersburg,
N.Province. A final race, P.i.inopinus (Red),
is also found in the foothills of the BLouberg, N.Province. It is similar to
P.i.parvus in size and appearance, but differs in having more
ventral scale rows (22-26), pale thighs with black spotting, and lacking the
paired black collar blotches.