Pungwe flat lizard
Species of lizard
title: "Pungwe flat lizard" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["platysaurus", "lizards-of-africa", "reptiles-of-mozambique", "reptiles-of-zimbabwe", "reptiles-described-in-1959", "taxa-named-by-donald-george-broadley"] description: "Species of lizard" topic_path: "general/platysaurus" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pungwe_flat_lizard" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Species of lizard ::
| name = Pungwe flat lizard | image = Pungwe-plattechse-01.jpg | image_caption = Individual at the Frankfurt Zoo | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = | genus = Platysaurus | species = pungweensis | authority = 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. 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).
Habitat and ecology
Pungwe flat lizards inhabit low rock outcrops and large hills in mesic savanna. They eat ants and beetles.
Subspecies
Two subspecies are accepted:
- P. p. pungweensis – Eastern 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 15 mi southeast of Vila de Manica.
References
References
- Tolley, K.A.. (2021). "''Platysaurus pungweensis''".
- (29 July 2015). "Platysaurus Smith, 1844".
- {{NRDB species
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