Pseudocordylus melanotus

Description

Pseudocordylus melanotus or Common crag lizard is an ovoviviparous lizard, tolerant of temperatures no lower than -5 °C, and consequently occurring on rocky outcrops, hills and mountains throughout southern Africa. Various subspecies are found in the inland mountains of the Eastern Cape (Amatole-Great Winterberg) and Cape Fold Mountains, the Natal and Transvaal Drakensberg and foothills, Lesotho and Swaziland with an isolated population at Suikerbosrand, and also at the Magaliesberg which geologically is part of the Transvaal Drakensberg. The type specimen was collected by the Scots zoologist Andrew Smith in 1838 in the hills between the main branches of the Orange River east of Philippolis, Orange Free State.