Warren's girdled lizard


Warren's girdled lizard is a species of relatively large, flattened lizard in the family Cordylidae. The species is endemic to Southern Africa.

Etymology

The specific name, warreni, is in honor of English zoologist Ernest Warren, who collected the holotype.

Geographic range

S. warreni is known from the Lebombo Mountains in northeastern South Africa and eastern Swaziland.

Habitat

The preferred habitat of S. warreni is rock outcrops on wooded mountain slopes.

Diet

A shy species, S. warreni eats large arthropods and small vertebrates.

Description

S, warreni has a snout to vent length of. 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.

Taxonomy

The Barberton girdled lizard, Waterberg girdled lizard, Zoutpansberg girdled lizard, Mozambique girdled lizard, and the regal girdled lizard were formerly considered subspecies of Warren's girdled lizard.

Pet trade

Warren's girdled lizard was formerly available in the pet trade, possibly exported from Mozambique. Most specimens were labeled Cordylus warreni depressus and should be considered Smaug depressus.