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''Platysaurus'' is a
The species of ''Platysaurus'' exhibit
''Platysaurus''
The Reptile Database. *'' Platysaurus attenboroughi'' – Attenborough's flat lizard *'' Platysaurus broadleyi'' – Broadley's flat lizard or Augrabies flat lizard *'' Platysaurus capensis'' – Cape flat lizard *''
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{{Taxonbar, from=Q3021540 Lizard genera Lizards of Africa Taxa named by Andrew Smith (zoologist)
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
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 ...
s, commonly known as flat lizards for their flat backs, 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 ...
Cordylidae
Cordylidae is a family of small- to medium-sized lizards that occur in southern and eastern Africa. They are commonly known as girdled lizards, spinytail lizards, or girdle-tail lizards.
Cordylidae is closely related to the family Gerrhosauridae ...
.
Geographic range
Allspecies
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 ...
in the genus ''Platysaurus'' live in isolated populations in 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 ...
. They are found in Mozambique
Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...
, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...
, eastern Botswana
Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label=Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kalahar ...
, southern Namibia
Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...
and northern and western South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
.
Description
The species of ''Platysaurus'' exhibit sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is the condition where the sexes of the same animal and/or plant species exhibit different morphological characteristics, particularly characteristics not directly involved in reproduction. The condition occurs in most ani ...
. Females and juveniles often have black or brown backs with white stripes, while males are much more colored. Also, males are somewhat larger than females.
Species
The described species are:The Reptile Database. *'' Platysaurus attenboroughi'' – Attenborough's flat lizard *'' Platysaurus broadleyi'' – Broadley's flat lizard or Augrabies flat lizard *'' Platysaurus capensis'' – Cape flat lizard *''
Platysaurus guttatus
The dwarf flat lizard or lesser flat lizard (''Platysaurus guttatus'') is a lizard in the family Cordylidae. It is found in Southern Africa.
Description
Females and juveniles have a dark brown back with three thin, broken-up pale stripes and se ...
'' – dwarf flat lizard
*''Platysaurus imperator
The emperor flat lizard or imperial flat lizard (''Platysaurus imperator'') is a species of lizard in the Cordylidae family.
Description
Females and juveniles are black and have three light cream stripes, which are yellow on the head, running ...
'' – emperor flat lizard
*''Platysaurus intermedius
The common flat lizard (''Platysaurus intermedius'') is a species of lizard in the Cordylidae family. This lizard has 9 subspecies, all living in southern Africa.
Description
The females and juveniles of all subspecies of ''P. intermedius'' hav ...
'' – common flat lizard
*''Platysaurus lebomboensis
The Lebombo flat lizard (''Platysaurus lebomboensis'') is a species of lizard in the family Cordylidae.
Geography
The Lebombo flat lizard lives in southern Africa, including Transvaal, Swaziland, and KwaZulu-Natal, a province in South Africa ...
'' – Lebombo flat lizard
*''Platysaurus maculatus
The spotted flat lizard (''Platysaurus maculatus'') is a lizard in the Cordylidae family, which is native to Mozambique.
The spotted flat lizard has two subspecies, ''P. m. maculatus'' and ''P. m. linecauda''. Both were described in 1965.
The ...
'' – spotted flat lizard
*''Platysaurus minor
The Waterberg flat lizard (''Platysaurus minor'') is a species of lizard in the family Cordylidae. It is endemic to South Africa.
Geography
The Waterberg flat lizard ranges from Waterberg, South Africa, to the foothills of the Blouberg. The Wa ...
'' – Waterberg flat lizard
*''Platysaurus mitchelli
Mitchell's flat lizard (''Platysaurus mitchelli'') is a species of lizards in the family Cordylidae.
Etymology
The specific name, ''mitchelli'', is in honor of naturalist Bernard Lindley Mitchell of the Department of Game, Fish, and Tsetse Co ...
'' – Mitchell's flat lizard
*'' Platysaurus monotropis'' – orange-throated flat lizard
*'' Platysaurus ocellatus'' – ocellated flat lizard
*'' Platysaurus orientalis'' – Sekukune flat lizard
*'' Platysaurus pungweensis'' – Pungwe flat lizard
*'' Platysaurus relictus'' – Soutpansberg flat lizard
*'' Platysaurus torquatus'' – striped flat lizard
See also
*Cordylidae
Cordylidae is a family of small- to medium-sized lizards that occur in southern and eastern Africa. They are commonly known as girdled lizards, spinytail lizards, or girdle-tail lizards.
Cordylidae is closely related to the family Gerrhosauridae ...
*'' Pseudocordylus''
*''Cordylus
The genus ''Cordylus'' (Sauria: Cordylidae) includes a wide variety of species of small to medium spiny lizards from Africa, collectively called girdle-tailed lizards or girdled lizards. All are diurnal and ovoviviparous (live-bearing, without s ...
''
References
Further reading
* Boulenger GA (1885). ''Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume II. ... Zonuridæ ...'' London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 497 pp. + Plates I-XXIV. (Genus ''Platysaurus'', p. 261). * 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. . (Genus ''Platysaurus'', p. 198).External links
More Information
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3021540 Lizard genera Lizards of Africa Taxa named by Andrew Smith (zoologist)