McLachlan's girdled lizard

McLachlan's girdled lizard
Cordylus mclachlani
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Cordylidae
Genus:	Cordylus
Species:	C. mclachlani
Binomial name
Cordylus mclachlani Mouton, 1986

McLachlan's girdled lizard (Cordylus mclachlani), also known commonly as McLachlan's spiny-tailed lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Cordylidae. The species is endemic to South Africa.

Etymology

The specific name, mclachlani, is in honor of South African herpetologist Geoffrey Roy McLachlan. ^[2]

Description

Adults of Cordylus mclachlani usually have a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 5–7 cm (2.0–2.8 in). The body is very flattened. Dorsally, it is olive brown, with some dark brown and yellow spots. Ventrally, it is cream-colored. ^[3]

Geographic distribution

Cordylus mclachlani is found in the South African provinces of Northern Cape and Western Cape. ^[1]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of Cordylus mclachlani is rocky areas of shrubland. ^[1]

Behavior

Cordylus mclachlani is terrestrial and rupicolous (rock-dwelling), sheltering in narrow crevices. ^{[1] [3]}

Reproduction

Cordylus mclachlani is ovoviviparous. ^[2]

References

1. Bates, M.F.; Tolley, K.A.; Mouton, P.L.F.N. (2018). "Cordylus mclachlani ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018 e.T5340A115650518. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T5340A115650518.en . Retrieved 14 November 2021.
2. Species Cordylus mclachlani at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
3. Branch, Bill (2004). Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Third Revised edition, Second impression. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. ISBN   0-88359-042-5. 399 pp. (Cordylus mclachlani, p. 190 + Plate 67).

Further reading

• Adolphs, Klaus (2006). Bibliotheca Cordyliformium: Neues Quellenverzeichnis der Gürtelschweife und Schildechsen (Reptilia, Cordylidae und Gerrhosauridae). Sankt Augustin, Germany: Squamata Verlag für Herpetologie. ISBN   978-3980508612. 303 pp. (in German).
• Mouton, P.le F.N. (1986). "Description of a new species of Cordylus Laurenti (Reptilia: Cordylidae) from the south-western Cape, South Africa". South African Journal of Zoology. 21 (4): 319–324. (Cordylus mclachlani, new species). (in English, with an abstract in Afrikaans).
• Mouton, P.le F.N.; Visser, J.D.; Van Wyk, J.H. (1992). "Morphological variation in the girdled lizard Cordylus mclachlani Mouton 1986". South African J. Zool. 27 (1): 35–37.
• Reissig, J. (2014). Girdled Lizards and their relatives: Natural History, Captive Care and Breeding. Frankfurt am Main, Germany: Edition Chimaira. ISBN   978-3899734379. 249 pp.
• Stanley, E.L.; Bauer, A.M.; Jackman, T.R.; Branch, W.R.; Mouton, P.le F.N. (2011). "Between a rock and a hard polytomy: Rapid radiation in the rupicolous girdled lizards (Squamata: Cordylidae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 58 (1): 53–70.