Africa Wild Reptile Book: Lizards - Photos & Descriptions

[BluTuna]

Cape Dwarf Gecko, Common Dwarf Gecko Lygodactylus capensis capensis
Family: Gekkonidae

© BluTuna
Garden in Johannesburg

Description
A large dwarf gecko. Length (snout to vent length) is 39 mm for males, 43 mm for females. This gecko has a pair of lateral clefts in the mental (chin) and no soft spines above the eyes. Throat is stippled with grey or brown while the belly is cream coloured. The back is grey-brown with dark streak from snout to shoulder or beyond and a pale dorsolateral band, that may break up into a series of light spots towards the tail. Its tail is remarkable for having the underside covered in adhesive lamellae enabling its use as a fifth limb. When moulting it actively assists the process by detaching skin flakes and consuming them.
Hatchlings are brownish and have a bright orange-red tail.

Distribution
Central and southern Africa: South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Angola, Namibia (Caprivi Strip from Rundu to Victoria Falls), Mozambique, Tanzania, Pemba Island.



Habitat
Well-wooded savannah and tropical thicket. Common in gardens.

Diet
Ants and termites. The Cape dwarf gecko forages in low scrub and on dead trees.

Reproduction
Females lay clutches of 2 eggs in rock cracks or under loose bark.

Links: William R. Branch: Field Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa; Variability in Lygodactylus capensis

© BluTuna
Garden in Johannesburg




Hatchling

© PJL
Addo Elephant National Park, Addo Rest Camp


Babalala, Kruger National Park

[Toko]

Chobe Dwarf Gecko, Okavango Dwarf Gecko Lygodactylus chobiensis
Family: Gekkonidae

© pooky

© pooky
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

© pooky

Description
SVL 30-25 mm; max. SVL 42 mm male, 38 mm female.
A large dwarf gecko with a mental that lacks lateral clefts. The back is blue-grey with large pale dorsal spots that extend onto the neck and head. The throat of the male may be all black or pale yellow with two dark chevrons, which are faint or absent in the female. The belly is yellow. Males have 7-11 preanal pores.

Distribution
Lygodactylus chobiensis occurs along a narrow strip along the Okavango Basin, the Chobe River, into the Zambezi Valley, and onto the Zimbabwe Plateau and adjacent Zambia. Its distribution runs along the northern borders of Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, and the southern borders of Angola and Zambia. The distribution of this species has recently been extended further north and south with the discovery of several more populations.



Habitat
Lygodactylus chobiensis inhabits moist savanna. It is abundant on tree trunks and the walls of buildings, it prefers to forage high in trees, and is common on acacia, baobab and mopane trees.

Diet
It forages and trees and feeds on ants and termites.

Reproduction
Reproduction occurs throughout the year. The female lays two hard-shelled eggs (5 x 6.5 mm) in a disused termite mound. Incubation lasts about 125 days. Hatchlings measure 30-32 mm.

Links: William R. Branch: Field Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa

[Toko]

Stevenson's Dwarf Gecko Lygodactylus stevensoni
Family: Gekkonidae

© Toko
Mapungubwe National Park, Wilderness camp

Description
Total length, 78 mm.; from snout to vent, 36 mm.
This species is closely related to L. capensis Smith, and may have to be regarded as a subspecies thereof, but is certainly a well-defined form. If differs from c a p en sis, in the characters of the tail, of the nostril, and in coloration.
Tail somewhat depressed, with faint indication of segmentation in its basal portion, these segments averaging 7 rows of scales dorsally and 4 ventrally, the basal one having 6 and 3 rows respectively. In the mid-ventral region of tail the scales are subequal, none being much larger than adjacent scales. At the tip ventrally 3 pairs of scales with adhesive surfaces; the tail tapers gradually towards the tip, but is not so slender in its distal portion as in capensis.
Nostril bordered by the rostral, first labial and two nasal scales, of which the first is a little larger - or considerably larger smaller specimens; in capensis there are generally 3 nasals, the first being much the largest. In. all three specimens the first labial has a projection upwards which corresponds with the third nasal of c a p en sis. Snout rather more pointed than in capensis , the distance between eye and nostril being about twice the diameter of the eye - in capensis a little less than twice Scales on dorsal surface of head rather strongly flattened; capensis not so strongly so.
Scales over neck dorsally a little smaller than those on occiput; capensis, the neck scales are finely granular, considerably smaller than those on occiput.
Longer toes with 5 pairs of adhesive lamellae inferiorly, the distal pair smallest.
Dorsal surfaces brown with indistinct grey-white cross bands on the tail and a few grey-white spots dorso-laterally near to and behind the forelimbs; a thin blackish stripe passes from the nostril through the eye to the base of the forelimb. Also, a thin broken blackish stripe passes backwards from upper lip towards the forelimb. Another dark stripe along the lower lip and for a short distance beyond it, and there are other dark stripes over the gular region.

Distribution
Found in SW Zimbabwe and the Limpopo valley.

[ExFmem]

Common Barking Gecko Ptenopus garrulus
Family: Gekkonidae



© Mel

Description
An endemic small barking gecko with swollen nostrils and strongly fringed toes. The back color varies (see Subspecies below), the belly is white, and males have a yellow or orange heart shape on the throat.

Scalation
Has 110 - 190 scale rows at midbody, and varies with the subspecies.

Subspecies
Two races are recognized. Both can be found in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
1. Common Barking Gecko P. g. garrulus - is smaller, has > 160 scale rows at midbody, and is finely speckled reddish brown, sometimes with diffuse darker spots. It occurs in Kalahari sands of Namibia, Botswana, and adjacent regions.
2. Spotted Barking Gecko P. g. maculates - has < 160 scale rows at midbody, and the color varies with the substrate, but is usually greyish-yellow with black crossbars, 5 pairs of pale spots on the flanks, and 5 - 10 dark bars on the tail. It is found in Namibia, extending through Namaqualand to Great and Little Karoo.

P. g. garrulus

P. g. maculates

Geographical distribution
Western arid regions of Southern Africa, from Namibia through Little Karoo to Kruger National Park, N. Province, and entering extreme S. Zimbabwe.


Ptenopus garrulus garrulus


Ptenopus garrulus maculatus

Habitat
Desert and semi-desert in various soil substrates, preferring flat, stable, sandy soil with sparse vegetation. They do not inhabit mobile dunes. Their burrows are complex, with many blind passages, some running upwards and ending just beneath the surface. These serve as escape routes from predators such as small snakes and meerkats.

Behavior
These geckos become active for a short period around sunset, with their calls signaling sunset in the desert. They may also call on cool mornings. The call varies regionally from 1 to 13 clicks, but usually consists of 5. After dark they emerge and walk slowly in search of prey. If disturbed they will freeze and are very effectively camouflaged by their coloration which mimics their habitat soil composition.

Diet
Diet of P. garrulus consists mainly of termites. However, these lizards are not termite specialists, but take also ants and small beetles. Ptenopus are normally sit-and-wait foragers, waiting at the mouth of their burrow to ambush prey. When termites swarm, however, P. garrulus come out of their burrows, even during the day, and become transient wide foragers. They gain significant amounts of their nourishment while actively foraging during termite swarms and or termite foraging aggregations.

Predators
Snakes, meerkats, birds (e.g. shrikes).

Reproduction
Peak reproductive activity is in September and October. Females have an invariant clutch size of one large egg, but more than one clutch may be laid in a single breeding season.

[Toko]

Cordylidae is a family of small to medium-sized lizards that occur in southern and eastern Africa. They are commonly known as girdled lizards, spinytail lizards or girdle-tail lizards.
Girdled lizards are diurnal and insectivorous. They are terrestrial, mostly inhabiting crevices in rocky terrain, although at least one species digs burrows and another lives under exfoliating bark on trees. They have flattened heads and bodies, and are distinguished by a heavy armour of osteoderms and large, rectangular, scales, arranged in regular rows around the body and tail. Many species have rings of spines on the tail, that aid in wedging the animal into sheltering crevices, and also in dissuading predators.
The family includes both egg-laying and ovoviviparous species.
All species possess two types of epidermal glands on the ventral aspect of the thigh, femoral and generation glands. Sometimes these glands can be absent in females. The function of these glands are still unknown, but they probably play a role in chemical communication. The family is partitioned into two large genera and some smaller genara and 55 species in South Africa that vary considerably in morphology and behaviour. The flat lizards (genus Platysaurus ) have extremely flattened bodies and the males are brightly coloured. They are the only group in the family that lay eggs. The girdled lizards (genus Cordylus ) form the largest group and generally the tail has rings of spiny scales. Some species are extremely spinose, for example the well-known ouvolk of the Free State. Most are rock-dwelling, but at least seven species are terrestrial. The crag lizards have small scales and the tail is only moderately spinose. The grass lizards have elongated snakelike bodies with reduced limbs.
The Chamaesaura, also known as Grass Lizards, are a genus of legless lizards from southern and eastern Africa. The limbs are reduced to small spikes. The elongate shape and lack of limbs allows them to "swim" through grass. They are viviparous and eat small invertebrates, especially grasshoppers.

Cordylidae is closely related to the family Gerrhosauridae, occurring in Africa and Madagascar. These two scientific families of lizards, known as Cordyliformes or Cordyloidea, are sometimes combined into a larger concept of Cordylidae.

[Toko]

Transvaal Grass Lizard Chamaesaura aenea
Family: Cordylidae

© Lisbeth
Rietvlei Nature Reserve, Gauteng

The genus Chamaesaura is a small genus centred on southern Africa. All three species are notable in the Cordylidae for their very reduced limbs and elongated bodies, which are adapted for a life of "swimming" through the long grass that forms their habitat. Unlike many other cordylids, these species are not found among rocks. Although these lizards can practise autotomy, they only shed the minimum part of the tail necessary as they largely depend upon it for their locomotion: regeneration of the shed part is also quite fast. Chamaesaura move with difficulty on smooth or sandy surfaces, etc. The scales of all three species are large, keeled and fairly uniform, being arranged in regular rows along and across the body. Females are ovoviparous.

Description
Slender diurnal lizard with five clawed digits on all four limbs. Movement is snakelike.
Scalation: body scales are small, in 42-46 transverse body rows. Coloration: head and back dark brown, with 3 light yellow or grey-olive black-edged stripes. Flanks straw-coloured, 2-3 series of dark spots or a reddish-brown lateral stripe. Venter is off-white.

Geographical distribution
Swaziland, Lesotho and South Africa (Mpumalanga, NE Free State, KwaZula-Natal underberg, to Amatalo mountains in E Cape). The populations within its range are scattered across escarpment grasslands.



Habitat
It lives on grass-covered mountain slopes and plateaus.

Diet
Diet consists of various arthropods.

Reproduction
Ovoviparous. Up to 12 babies born in early summer.

[Toko]

Attenborough’s Flat Lizard Platysaurus attenboroughi
Family: Cordylidae

© Michele Nel
Male. Richtersveld National Park

Description
Extremely dorso-ventrally flattened. Medium to very large-bodied (maximum snout-vent-length, SVL 73– 146 mm), limbs long and digits unreduced.
Sexually dichromatic, with brightly colored males and cryptic females.
Females and juveniles have a dark brown back with three wide white stripes which run down head to tail. Their bellies are white with a black blotch in the center.
Adult males have the upper half of their body bright blue, with pale spots or stripes. The back half, including the tail, is orange or red.

This Platysaurus is distinguished from all congeners, except P. capensis and P. broadleyi, in that the scales on the side of the neck are indistinguishable from those on the dorsum.
It can be distinguished from P. broadleyi as follows: the breeding male has blue forelimbs (anterior surface) while that of P. broadleyi may be orange, yellow, or a combination; the male has a light blue throat compared to the dark blue of P. broadleyi (although this may be highly variable and could be related to male fighting ability; and the male also has an extensive blue belly with a small orange lower abdominal patch and sometimes with an irregular black abdominal patch (centre), while P. broadleyi has a darker (deep blue-black) abdomen with the lower abdomen usually orange (but may also be yellow or a mix). It also differs from P. broadleyi in some features of scalation, particularly the number of collar scales and the smaller upper forelimb scales.
Adult male coloration in P. attenboroughi sp. nov. is further distinguished from P. capensis by having the dorsum more extensively covered with white spots, and with a reduced fine vertebral stripe that only partially extends on to the hindbody, and with reduced (or absent) broad, dark paravertebral stripes; adult female coloration is more vaguely patterned than in either P. capensis or P. broadleyi, lacking the bold dark and pale paravertebral stripes and with scattered pale spots. It also differs from P. capensis in features of scalation, particularly the greater number of upper forelimb scale rows.

The marked sexual dichromatism suggests a classic sexual selection system in which males compete heavily for females. Males do have UV-reflective throats, which suggests a role of this colour signal in either settling contests or in mate choice.

Geographical distribution
This lizard lives in the southwestern part of Africa, in Namibia and South Africa. Along the lower Orange River from Goodhouse to the Richtersveld, extending north into Namibia and recorded from the Hunsberg, Huamsib and Ploegberg mountains and the Fish River Canyon.

Habitat
It occurs in the arid-subtropical region of the Northern Cape Province of South Africa and southern Namibia and specifically within the Gariep Desert Bioregion with low and erratic summer rainfall. Like all flat lizards, they are dependent on rock (mostly granite in this area) and take refuge in narrow rock fissures where they can escape suboptimal temperatures and predators. It is widespread and common in boulder-strewn areas and on broad rock faces, often far from river courses.

Behaviour
Flat Lizards are shy and often run for cover when threatened. They may live in small groups.

Diet
Platysaurus capensis is an omnivorous lizard,

Reproduction
Unlike other cordylids, Platysaurus are oviparous. All Platysaurus have a fixed clutch of two eggs.

Links: A new species of spectacularly coloured flat lizard Platysaurus (Squamata: Cordylidae: Platysaurinae) from southern Africa

[Toko]

Augrabies Flat Lizard (Broadley's Flat Lizard) Platysaurus broadleyi
Family: Cordylidae


Male, Augrabies Falls National Park, Northern Cape

Description
The Augrabies Flat Lizard is a small cordilyd lizard.It shows marked sexual dichromatism. Females and juveniles are dab grey-brown, with three thick, cream stripes on the back. These stripes may be broken up into spots, or have spots in between the stripes. The belly is white, sometimes with a black dot on it, and at the rear there is an orange color. The tail is straw-colored. Adult males have a bluish head and a greenish back. A darker area in the middle and the vestiges of the juvenile stripes and spots are also present. The front legs are yellow to orange, the throat is dark blue, and the belly is black in the front but becomes orange near the tail. Above the tail, it is a tan color, while below and on the sides, it is orange. All this coloration, while it helps attract females, also has a downside: predators easily spot them. Females, on the other hand, have much more subdued coloration and are less likely to be eaten. The Augrabies Flat Lizard is very similar to Platysaurus capensis, or the Cape Flat Lizard, in scalation, but differs in having finer scalation on top of the forelimbs.

Geographical distribution
The Augrabies Flat Lizard has its range between Augrabies Falls and Pella, North Cape in South Africa. This area includes the lowerOrange River, Northern Cape Province, and Gordonia District.



Habitat
This lizard's habitat is rocky savannahs. Augrabies Flat Lizards are common on the granite walls of Augrabies Falls National Park, it is restricted to the granite banks and cliffs alonge the Orange River.

Behaviour
The Augrabies Flat Lizard is a sexually dimorphic lizard that experiences intense conflict as a result of sexual selection. Research indicates that the higher the UV levels on a male's throat, the more dominant it is and is less likely to be challenged. These flat lizards have been discovered to have a much higher visual sensitivity to UV light than other lizards species, allowing males to accurately distinguish between conspecifics of various fitness. Pick on someone duller than you when deciding whether to get into a fight! The size of an opponent is unimportant to a male lizard. What they really care about is whose throat reflects the most ultraviolet light.

Diet
Its favourite prey is the black fly (Simulium spp) In summer, they perform acrobatic leaps to catch black flies on the wing from the swarms that gather near rivers. It is not a typical ambush forager and will also eat ripe berries of Namaqua Figs. Lizards will follow bird flocks to find these fruit-laden trees.

Predators
Potential predators include Rock krestels, sand snakes, mongooses and athropods (spiders and centipedes) that may prey on juveniles.

Reproduction
Oviparous. Sexual maturity is reached at around 64 mm for both sexes. Females lay two clutches of eggs in early summer.
It is a polygynous species in which males court multiple females in a short space of time, including juveniles that are female-like. In this system the adult males are extremely colourful and extremely territorial. According to a study, young male lizards desperate to mate, access female and avoid attack from older males by hiding their colours so as to imitate plain, brown females. Imitating a female allows the juvenile lizards to mate with females, without being detected and driven away by the larger, territorial, adult males, who will chase and bite their young rivals.

Links: Wild Magazin, page 62: Bright Jumpers


Male, Augrabies

© nan
Male

© nan
Male

© pooky
Female

© Lisbeth
Female

[Toko]

Common Flat Lizard Platysaurus intermedius
Family: Cordylidae

© Penga Ndlovu
Male, Kruger National Park

© PRWIN
Mapungubwe National Park (Limpopo). Male Limpopo Flat Lizard Platysaurus intermedius rhodesianus

© PRWIN
Mapungubwe National Park (Limpopo). Male Limpopo Flat Lizard Platysaurus intermedius rhodesianus

Size
SVL varied from 65-80 mm - 90-120 mm (See subspecies); max 129 mm.

Description
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 of all subspecies of P. intermedius are black, with three buff white 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).

Subspecies
Nine races recognized, eight of which occur in the region (the other P.i.nyasae, occurs in Malawi and adjacent central Mozambique).
Greater Flat Lizard Platysaurus intermedius wilhelmi has different-sized back scales, those covering the pale dorsal stripes being the largest. The ventral scales are in 16-18 rows. The male has dull olive-green to brown back with a few scattered, pale spots. The tail is red, becoming straw-coloured or yellow towards the tip, and the belly is blue, becoming black in the centre. This race occurs in Southern Mpumalanga. It is found in Kruger National Park. 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.
Limpopo Flat Lizard Platysaurus intermedius rhodesianus is a large race (SVL 100-120 mm); The male has a blue-green to yellow-green head, with three faint white stripes. The back color is dependent on range. 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 red phase has a blue throat with black collar and terracotta chest; the green 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), Eastern Botswana, Limpopo (also in the Kruger National Park) and Northern Province.
Platysaurus intermedius nigrescens is smaller (SVL 75-90 mm), the male 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 Northeastern Botswana.
Platysaurus intermedius subniger is similar in size to P. i. rhodesianus; it has five upper labials in front of the subocular and the nasals are seperated. The male has a dark green back, becoming brown or black posteriorly (but uniform red backs 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.
Platysaurus intermedius parvus is a small race (SVL 65-75 mm). The male 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 chest and belly are blue. The race is found in the Blouberg mountain range in Limpopo.
Natal Flat Lizard Platysaurus intermedius natalensis 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 KwaZulu-Natal.
Transvaal Flat Lizard Platysaurus intermedius intermedius (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, Northern Province.
A final race, Platysaurus iintermedius inopinus, is also found in the foothills of the Blouberg. 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.

Geographical distribution
Common flat lizards are the most widely distributed and common Platysaurus. They occour throughout most of Zimbabwe, Northern Province and Mpumalanga, with peripheral races in Southern Malawi, Eastern Botswana, Swaziland and adjacent Mozambique and Northern KwaZulu-Natal.


Distribution map Platysaurus intermedius rhodesianus

Habitat
These lizards live under exfoliating, or weathering, rocks. Their preferred types of rock are granite, sandstone, and quartzite. These lizards can be found in moderately moist savannahs, as well as rock outcrops.

Behaviour
It lives under exfoliating rock flakes and may form dense colonies (for example Rhodes Grave in the Matopos, Zimbabwe).

Diet
Ambush foraging lizard.

Predators
Mainly raptors. Recorded as prey of Augur buzzard. Also snakes.

Reproduction
Oviparous. 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.

Links: Bill Branch, William R. Branch: A Photographic Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa

© pooky
Zimbabwe, Gonarezhou National Park

© pooky
Female Limpopo Flat Lizard Platysaurus intermedius rhodesianus

© arks
Female Limpopo Flat Lizard Platysaurus intermedius rhodesianus, Mapungubwe National Park

© arks
Female Limpopo Flat Lizard Platysaurus intermedius rhodesianus, Mapungubwe National Park

[Toko]

Cape Girdled Lizard Cordylus cordylus (Kaapse Gordelakkedis)
Family: Cordylidae

© Toko

© Toko
Cape Agulhas

Description
A medium-sized lizard. Adult snout-vent length ranges from 70-87 mm, with males normally reaching slightly larger body and head sizes than females.
Description The head and body are moderately depressed, an indication of its rockdwelling lifestyle. The head shields are fairly rugose. The subocular scale normally does not reach the lip. The dorsal body scales are large and keeled and arranged in 16-20 longitudinal rows and 23-26 transverse rows. The ventral scales are normally arranged in 12 longitudinal series and 21-23 transverse series. The tail and sides of the body are moderately spinose. The tail is slightly longer than the body and the whorls consist of a single row of scales. The number of femoral pores is highly variable, both geographically as well as locally, and ranges from 4-10 on each thigh. Males always have generation glands, but these glands can be absent in females from colder areas. Colour is highly variable over the species' distribution range. Individuals from the warmer southern coastal areas are more brightly coloured than from the interior regions. Coloration varies from a dark reddish-brown to almost black above with the sides a lighter orange to lemon to an almost uniform dark reddish-brown colour. Sometimes there are black blotches on the back giving it a checked appearance. Individuals from the west coast and montane localities can be very dark in colour. The undersides are normally a greyish white.

Geographical distribution
It is indigenous to the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa, from Saldanha and Cape Town eastwards as far as Lesotho. It occurs mainly along the southern coastal regions of the Western Cape and Eastern Cape but also reaches further inland as far as Graaff-Reinet.



Habitat
Rocky crags and outcrops, as well as on mountain summits.

Behaviour
Cape girdled lizards Cordylus cordylus are social and territorial. Both males and females defend territories. It lives in large colonies (with social hierarchies). It normally occurs in dense populations. The sex ratio appears to be female-biased in most populations.
The lizards hide in rocky cracks, but come out in the morning and evening to forage. If threatened, they retreat to their holes and cracks in the rocks, wedge themselves in and lock their bodies there by inflating their lungs. Jammed into the cracks like this, with their thorny tail wrapped protectively over their faces, they are incredibly difficult to prise out. They can often be seen sunbathing on top of prominent rocks.

Diet
They feed on insects and other invertebrates on which they run out and pounce. Like all typical cordylids, it is rockdwelling and follows a sit-and-wait foraging strategy.

Reproduction
Male and female reproductive cycles are synchronised, mating takes place in spring and two to three young are born in March to April. The young lizards stay very near the mother for the first year.

Conservation status
Because of its wide distribution and dense populations, it is not listed in the latest South African Red Data Book for reptiles and amphibians, or in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Like all other cordylid species, it is listed internationally in Appendix II of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES).

© PJL
Addo Elephant National Park

© PJL
Addo Elephant National Park