You are here » home › advanced search › Gerrhosaurus multilineatus

Gerrhosaurus multilineatus BOCAGE, 1866

IUCN Red List - Gerrhosaurus multilineatus - Least Concern, LC
iNaturalist logo

Can you confirm these amateur observations of Gerrhosaurus multilineatus?

Add your own observation of
Gerrhosaurus multilineatus »

Find more photos by Google images search: Google images

Higher TaxaGerrhosauridae (Gerrhosaurinae), Scincoidea, Sauria, Squamata (lizards)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Keeled Plated Lizard
auritus: Kalahari Plated Lizard 
SynonymGerrhosaurus multilineatus multilineatus BOCAGE 1866: 44
Gerrhosaurus nigrolineatus anselli BROADLEY 1960
Gerrhosaurus multilineatus multilineatus — BRANCH 1988
Gerrhosaurus multilineatus — BATES et al. 2013
Gerrhosaurus cf. multilineatus — BUTLER et al. 2019 
DistributionAngola, S Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire), Zambia, Namibia, Botswana

bulsi: Democratic Republic of the Congo (Katanga)

Type locality: Duque de Bragança district [region], interior of Angola  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesHolotype: lost, originally in Museu Bocage in Lisbon (destroyed in the 1978 fire) 
DiagnosisUnfortunately we had to temporarily remove additional information as this was scraped by multiple AI companies who sell that data to their customers. These details, e.g. detailed descriptions or comparisons (about 541 characters), are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. 
CommentSubspecies: Gerrhosaurus multilineatus auritus BOETTGER, 1887 is now considered as a valid species by many authors.

Synonymy: “The taxon G. multilineatus Bocage is based on a hybrid specimen. The name is therefore unavailable.” (fide Haagner, Branch & Haagner 2000). Loveridge (1942) and FitzSimons (1943) subsequently relegated G. multilineatus to the synonymy of G. nigrolineatus. Laurent (1964: 54) noted that if the “type” of G. multilineatus was a young G. bulsi, the former name would have priority.

The description by BOCAGE (1866) essentially creates a nomen nudum, given that his descriptions is devoid of any useful information.

“Broadley (1960) described Gerrhosaurus nigrolineatus anselli from Mwinilunga, Boma, currently regarded as a synonym of G. bulsi or G. multilineatus. Later, Broadley (1971) referred the Ikelenge population to G. multilineatus, regarding his subspecies as a synonym of the latter. Haagner et al. (2000) recognized the Ikelenge population as G. bulsi referring to Broadley (in lit.) who mentioned that G. multilineatus is based on a hybrid type specimen and the name is therefore not available. However, according to article 17.2 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN 1999) such a name is still valid, even if the type is a hybrid specimen. Also following Adolphs (2006) bulsi is a valid species and multilineatus is doubtful. However, we recognized striking differences, especially in colouration, between bulsi and multilineatus and therefore we are regarding bulsi as a full species.” [P. Wagner, pers. comm. 27 Dec 2009] 
EtymologyNamed after Latin multilineatus, with numerous lines. 
References
  • Auerbach, R.D. 1987. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Botswana. Mokwepa Consultants, Botswana, 295 pp.
  • BATES, MICHAEL F.; KRYSTAL A. TOLLEY, SHELLEY EDWARDS, ZOË DAVIDS, JESSICA M. DA SILVA, & WILLIAM R. BRANCH 2013. A molecular phylogeny of the African plated lizards, genus Gerrhosaurus Wiegmann, 1828 (Squamata: Gerrhosauridae), with the description of two new genera. Zootaxa 3750 (5): 465–493 - get paper here
  • Bauer, Aaron M.; Branch, William R. & Haacke, Wulf D. 1993. The herpetofauna of the Kamanjab area and adjacent Damaraland, Namibia. Madoqua (Windhoek) 18 (2): 117-145. - get paper here
  • Bocage,J.V. du B. 1866. Lista dos reptis das possessões portuguezas d'Africa occidental que existem no Museu Lisboa. Jorn. Sci. Math. Phys. Nat. Lisboa 1: 37-56 - get paper here
  • Branch, William R. 1993. A Photographic Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Cape Town: Struik Publishers, 144 S.
  • Broadley, D.G. 1960. Sauria, Cordylidae: Gerrhosaurus nigrolineatus anselli n. subsp. Occ. Pap. Nat. Mus. South. Rhodesia 24 (B): 433-434
  • Broadley, D.G. 1991. The Herpetofauna of Northern Mwinilunga Distr., Northw. Zambia. Arnoldia Zimbabwe 9 (37): 519-538
  • Broadley, Donald G. & Rasmussen, G. S. A. 1995. Geographical Distribution. Sauria: Gerrhosauridae: Gerrhosaurus multilineatus auritus Boettger, 1887. African Herp News (23): 47. - get paper here
  • Broadley, Donald G. and F. P. D. Cotterill. 2004. The reptiles of southeast Katanga, an overlooked 'hot spot'. [Congo]. African Journal of Herpetology 53 (1): 35-61. - get paper here
  • Butler, B O; Ceríaco, L M P; Marques, M P; Bandeira, S; Júlio, T; Heinicke, M P & Bauer, A M; 2019. Herpetological survey of Huíla Province, Southwest Angola, including first records of Bicuar National Park. Herpetological Review 50 (2): 225-240 - get paper here
  • Haagner,G.V.; Branch,W.R. & Haagner,A.J.F. 2000. Notes on a collection of reptiles from Zambia and adjacent areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Annals of the Eastern Cape Museum 1: 1 – 25
  • Herrmann, H.-W.; W.R. Branch 2013. Fifty years of herpetological research in the Namib Desert and Namibia with an updated and annotated species checklist. Journal of Arid Environments 93: 94–115 - get paper here
  • Laurent, RAYMOND F. 1954. Reptiles et batraciens de la région de Dundo (Angola) (Deuxième note). Companhia de Diamantes de Angola (Diamang), Serviços Culturais, Publicações Culturais, No. 23: 37-84
  • Marques, Mariana P.; Luis M. P. Ceríaco , David C. Blackburn , and Aaron M. Bauer 2018. Diversity and Distribution of the Amphibians and Terrestrial Reptiles of Angola -- Atlas of Historical and Bibliographic Records (1840–2017). Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci. (Ser. 4) 65: 1-501 (Supplement II)
  • Pietersen, Darren, Verburgt, Luke & Davies, John 2021. Snakes and other reptiles of Zambia and Malawi. Struik Nature / Penguin Random House South Africa, 376 pp., ISBN 9781775847373
  • SANTOS, B. S. .,MARQUES, M. P. ., BAUER, A. M. ., & CERÍACO, L. M. P. . 2021. Herpetological results of Francisco Newton’s Zoological Expedition to Angola (1903–1906): a taxonomic revision and new records of a forgotten collection. Zootaxa 5028 (1): 1–80 - get paper here
  • Schleicher, Alfred 2020. Reptiles of Namibia. Kuiseb Publishers, Windhoek, Namibia, 271 pp.
 
External links  
Is it interesting? Share with others:


Please submit feedback about this entry to the curator