''Pedioplanis laticeps'', known
commonly as the Cape sand lizard or the Karoo sand lizard, is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...
in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Lacertidae
The Lacertidae are the family (biology), family of the wall lizards, true lizards, or sometimes simply lacertas, which are native to Afro-Eurasia. It is a diverse family with at least 300 species in 39 genera. They represent the dominant group o ...
. The species is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to
Southern Africa
Southern Africa is the southernmost subregion of the African continent, south of the Congo and Tanzania. The physical location is the large part of Africa to the south of the extensive Congo River basin. Southern Africa is home to a number of ...
.
Geographic range
''P. laticeps'' is found in Namibia and South Africa.
Habitat
The preferred natural habitat of ''P. laticeps'' is shrubland.
[
]
Description
The coloration of ''P. laticeps'' is very variable. Adults have a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of . There is no gular fold, and the nasals are not in contact with each other behind the rostral
Rostral may refer to:
Anatomy
* Rostral (anatomical term), situated toward the oral or nasal region
* Rostral bone, in ceratopsian dinosaurs
* Rostral organ, of certain fish
* Rostral scale, in snakes and scaled reptiles
Other uses
* Rostral colu ...
.[ Branch, Bill (2004). ''Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa''. Third Revised edition, Second impression. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 399 pp. . (''Pedioplanis laticeps, p. 171 + Plate 59).]
Reproduction
''P. laticeps'' is oviparous
Oviparous animals are animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive method of most fish, amphibians, most reptiles, and all pterosaurs, dinosaurs (including birds), and ...
.[
]
References
Further reading
* Kirchhof S, Penner J, Rödel M-O, Müller J (2017). "Resolution of the types, diagnostic features, and distribution of two easily confused Sand Lizards, ''Pedioplanis laticeps'' (Smith, 1845) and ''P. burchelli'' ( Duméril & Bibron
Gabriel Bibron (20 October 1805 – 27 March 1848) was a French zoologist and herpetologist. He was born in Paris. The son of an employee of the Museum national d'histoire naturelle, he had a good foundation in natural history and was hir ...
, 1839) (Squamata: Lacertidae)". ''Zootaxa'' 4318 (1): 082–109.
* Plessis IJ, Mouton PFN (2011). "Habitat Preferences of Three Sympatric Lacertid Lizards in the Arid Tankwa Karoo Basin of South Africa". ''African Zoology'' 46 (1): 88–94.
*Smith A
Smith may refer to:
People
* Metalsmith, or simply smith, a craftsman fashioning tools or works of art out of various metals
* Smith (given name)
* Smith (surname), a family name originating in England, Scotland and Ireland
** List of people wit ...
(1845). ''Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa; Consisting Chiefly of Figures and Descriptions of the Objects of Natural History Collected during an Expedition into the Interior of South Africa, in the Years 1834, 1835, and 1836; Fitted out by "The Cape of Good Hope Association for Exploring Central Africa:" Together with a Summary of African Zoology, and an Inquiry into the Geographical Ranges of Species in that Quarter of the Globe.'' olume III. Reptilia London: Lords Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury. (Smith, Elder and Co., printers). Plates I-XLVIII + unnumbered pages of text. (''Eremias laticeps'', new species, plate XLVI, figure 1 + two unnumbered pages). (in English and Latin).
Pedioplanis
Reptiles described in 1845
Taxa named by Andrew Smith (zoologist)
{{Lacertidae-stub