Smaug mossambicus (FITZSIMONS, 1958)

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Higher Taxa	Cordylidae (Cordylinae), Scincoidea, Sauria, Squamata (lizards)
Subspecies
Common Names	E: Gorongosa Girdled Lizard
Synonym	Cordylus warreni mossambicus FITZSIMONS 1958: 351 Cordylus mossambicus — BRANCH 1998 Cordylus mossambicus — BERGHOF 2007 Smaug mossambicus — STANLEY et al. 2011 Smaug mossambicus — REISSIG 2014
Distribution	Zimbabwe, Mozambique Type locality: “Gorongoza Mountain, near Vila Paiva, Mocambique”
Reproduction	Ovoviviparous.
Types	Holotype: NMSA No. 1237, female; paratype: NMSA 1362, female
Diagnosis	Diagnosis: A montane form closely related to Cordylus warreni warreni Boulenger, from Zululand, but distinguishable from the latter on the generally more slender and less robust build, less pronounced rugosity of the head shields and spinosity of scaling on body and tail, first upper labial only entering nostril, scales on back smaller, more obliquely set and forming a greater number of longitudinal rows, the colouring more drab, with no dark markings on chin and throat. (Fitzsimons 1958) Unfortunately 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 3517 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details.
Comment
Etymology	Named after the type locality.
References	Berghof, H.-P.: 2011. Bemerkungen zur Geschlechtsreife von Cordyliden am Beispiel von Ouroborus cataphractus, Smaug mossambicus und Smaug warreni depressus. Sauria 33 (4): 41-46 - get paper here Berghof, H.P. 2007. Cordylus mossambicus FITZSIMONS 1958 - Ein ausdauernder und interessanter Pflegling. Reptilia (Münster) 12 (65): 32-39 - get paper here Branch, W. R. 1998. Field Guide to the Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa. 3rd ed. Fully Revised and Updated to Include 83 New Species. Ralph Curtis Books (Sanibel Island, Florida), 399 pp. FitzSimons, VIVIAN 1958. A new Cordylus from Gorongoza, Mocambique. Ann. Natal Mus. (Pietermaritzburg) 14 (2): 351-353 Mouton, P le Fras N; Alexander Flemming; Michael Bates and Chris Broeckhoven 2018. The relationship between generation gland morphology and armour in Dragon Lizards (Smaug): a reassessment of ancestral states for the Cordylidae. Amphibia-Reptilia 39 (4): 445–456 - get paper here Reissig, J. 2014. Girdled Lizards and Their Relatives. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt, ISBN-10: 3899734378 Stanley, Edward L.; Aaron M. Bauer; Todd R. Jackman, William R. Branch, P. Le Fras N. Mouton 2011. Between a rock and a hard polytomy: rapid radiation in the rupicolous girdled lizard (Squamata: Cordylidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 58(1): 53-70. - get paper here
External links	IUCN Red List National Center for Biotechnology Information Google images

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