Pseudocordylus microlepidotus


P.m. fasciatus (blue)	P.m. microlepidolus (lilac)


P.m. namaquensis (green)	P.m.spp from Transkei (red)

This very large crag lizard has the scales on its flanks surrounded by granules. The temporal scales are in 1-3 rows, sometimes sith the upper row elongated (in P.m. namaquensis). The nasals are in contact, or are separated by the rostral and frontonasal (in P.m. microlepidolus). The frontonasal is undivided. There are usually five upper labials anterior to the subocular. Males have 5-6 femoral pores on each thigh. Males are beautifully coloured; the back is dull reddish-brown to dark brown, usually with 7-8 large, irregular, yellowish (bright lemon-yellow in P.m. namaquensis and orange in P.m. fasclatus) crossbars. (S Transkei populations are uniform dark brown, with numerous thin, irregular, pale yellow bars). The heavy jaw muscles are deep red-brown, and the throat is suffused with grey-blue (the pattern and extent of which vary in different populations). Males do not get bigger heads than females, but do have glandular scales along the backbone. The underside of the limbs and tail, sides of the belly and the lips are yellow (again, orange in P.m. fasciatus) The upper surface of the tail has 10-13 irregular, yellow and dark brown bars. Biology and breeding: This lizard selects large rock cracks often partly filled with soil, within which it excavates a chamber. It forages for food on adjacent flat rocks, eating large grasshoppers, beetles, etc, and will readily kill small lizards (agamas and geckos). It bites readily and painfully, and holds on with a bulldog-like tenacity. It hibernates in winter in a deep retreat. Very pugnacious, males and females maintain exclusive territories. Three to seven (usually four) young are born in January-March (97-110 mm TL). Habitat: Mountain plateaus and upper slopes in fynbos or mountane grassland. Range: Throughout Cape fold mountains, inland mountain ranges of old Cape escarpment, and Sl Transkei (E Cape). Subspecies: Three subspecies are recognized and all occur in the region. In the typical race, P.m. microlepidotus(lilac), the frontonasal and rostral are in contact, and the dark crossbars on the back extend onto the flanks; it occurs in Cape fold mountains, from Cedarberg to Port Elizabeth. P.m. namaquensis (green) has the frontonasal and rostral separated, the dark crossbars not extending onto the flanks, the last lower labial having a ridge, and the throat with a figure-of-eight-shaped dark, bluish mark. It is found on Neuveldberg from Southerland to Beaufort West. P.m. fasciatus (blue)also has the frontonasal and rostral separated, and the dark crossbars on the back extending onto the flanks, the last lower labial lacking a ridge, and the throat uniform bluish colour; occurs on inland mountains of E. Cape. Taxonomy of Transkei populations under investigation.

The belly of the different species.

I have no explanations of which letter belongs to which specie.