Cordylus nyikae
| Nyika girdled lizard | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Sauria |
| Family: | Cordylidae |
| Genus: | Cordylus |
| Species: | C. nyikae |
| Binomial name | |
| Cordylus nyikae Broadley & Mouton, 2000 | |
An isolated population of the Rhodesian girdled lizard (Cordylus rhodesianus) from granite outcrops in montane grassland of northern Malawi was recently redescribed as Cordylus nyikae. Unlike the Rhodesian girdled lizard, the head shields of this species are very rugose, the nostrils are pierced in the lower posterior corner of the nasal scales, and the dorsals do not have a serrated posterior margin. The dorsal coloration is dark brown to gray-brown with lighter spots. The tail and upper lips are light brown. The belly is buff. Its common name is Nyika girdled lizard.[1]
“Zimbabwe girdled lizards” are exported from Mozambique for the pet trade. Although they are often sold as C. rhodesianus, many individuals may actually be Cordylus nyikae. "Zimbabwe girdled lizards" remain skittish in captivity and require numerous hiding places constructed with stacked rocks.
References
- ↑ Cordylus nyikae, he Reptile Database
Branch, B. (1998). Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern. Africa: Ralph Curtis Books Publishing, Sanibel Island, Florida, 399 p.
Broadley, D. G. and Branch, W. R. (2002). A review of the small east African Cordylus (Sauria: Cordylidae), with the description of a new species. African Journal of Herpetology 51(1): 9-34.
Broadley, D. G. and Mouton, P. F. N. (2000). A new species of rupicolous Cordylus laurenti from Malawi (Sauria: Cordylidae). African Journal of Herpetology 49(2): 169-172.
External links
- Cordylus nyikae, The Reptile Database
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||