Biology:Pungwe flat lizard

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Short description: Species of lizard

Pungwe flat lizard
Pungwe-plattechse-01.jpg
Individual at the Frankfurt Zoo
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Cordylidae
Genus: Platysaurus
Species:
P. pungweensis
Binomial name
Platysaurus pungweensis
Broadley, 1959

The Pungwe flat lizard (Platysaurus pungweensis) is a species of lizard in the Cordylidae family.

Description

Females and juveniles of the Pungwe flat lizard are black and striped on their backs. Males vary by subspecies. The species resembles the common flat lizard, Platysaurus intermedius.

Geography

Pungwe flat lizards live in eastern Zimbabwe and adjacent Mozambique.[1][2] The type was obtained at the Pungwe River at 730 m (2,400 ft) above sea level, near the eastern border of Rhodesia (current Zimbabwe).[2]

Habitat and ecology

Pungwe flat lizards inhabit low rock outcrops and large hills in mesic savanna.[1] They eat ants and beetles.

Subspecies

Two subspecies are accepted:[1][2]

  • P. p. pungweensisEastern Highlands of Zimbabwe and adjacent Mozambique
  • P. p. blakei Broadley, 1964 – outcrops and inselbergs in the lowlands of southern Manica Platform, central Mozambique. Type locality 24 kilometres (15 miles) southeast of Vila de Manica.[3]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Tolley, K.A.; Alexander, G.J. (2021). "Platysaurus pungweensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T177573A120633574. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T177573A120633574.en. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/177573/120633574. Retrieved 18 November 2021. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Platysaurus pungweensis at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 23 March 2021.
  3. Adolphs, Klaus (29 July 2015). "Platysaurus Smith, 1844". http://www.squamata.de/c_news/c_archive/c_archive/c_platy.html. Retrieved 24 December 2018. 

External links

Wikidata ☰ Q3004542 entry