Warren's girdled lizard

Warren's Girdled Lizard
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Cordylidae
Genus:	Cordylus
Species:	C. warreni
Binomial name
Cordylus warreni

Warren’s Girdled Lizard (Cordylus warreni) is a relatively large flattened lizard from the Lebombo Mountains in northeastern South Africa and eastern Swaziland. It is found in rock outcrops on wooded mountain slopes. This shy species eats large arthropods and small vertebrates.

They have a snout to vent length of 105-130 mm. The back is dark brown with small yellow spots forming bands. The belly is light brown and the throat and lips are mottled. Males have 10-12 femoral pores. The tail is spiny and slightly longer than the body length.

The Barberton girdled lizard (Cordylus barbertonensis), Waterberg girdled lizard (Cordylus breyeri), Zoutpansberg girdled lizard (Cordylus depressus), Mozambique girdled lizard (Cordylus mossambicus), and the Regal girdled lizard (Cordylus regius) were formerly considered subspecies of the Warren’s girdled lizard.

Warren’s Girdled Lizards were formerly available in the pet trade, possibly exported from Mozambique. Most specimens were labeled Cordylus warreni depressus and should be considered Cordylus depressus.

References

Branch, B., 1998. Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa: Ralph Curtis Books Publishing, Sanibel Island, Florida, 399 p.

Fitzsimons, V. F., 1943. The Lizards of South Africa: Transvaal Museum Memoir, Pretoria.