Tropidosaura montana
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Lacertidae
Genus: Tropidosaura
Species:
T. montana
Binomial name
Tropidosaura montana
(Gray, 1831)
Synonyms[2]

Tropidosaura montana, also known commonly as the common mountain lizard and the green-striped mountain lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to South Africa. There are three recognized subspecies.[2]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of T. montana are grassland and shrubland.[1]

Description

Adults of T. montana have a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 4.5–5.5 cm (1.8–2.2 in). Compared to other species of its genus, the head is shorter, and the tail is longer.[3]

Behavior

T. montana is terrestrial.[1]

Reproduction

T. montana is oviparous.[2] An adult female may lay a clutch of 4–5 eggs, each egg measuring on average 10.5 x 6.5 mm (0.41 x 0.26 in). Eggs are laid in November and hatch in a little more than a month. Each hatchling has a total length (including tail) of about 6 cm (2.4 in).[3]

Subspecies

Three subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.[2]

  • Tropidosaura montana montana (Gray, 1831)
T. m. montana
T. m. rangeri white morph

Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Tropidosaura.

Etymology

The subspecific name, rangeri, is in honor of Gordon Ranger who collected the holotype.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Tolley, K.A.; Turner, A.A. (2018). "Tropidosaura montana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T197009A115665542. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T197009A115665542.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Tropidosaura montana at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 22 May 2019.
  3. 1 2 Branch, Bill (2004). Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Third Revised edition, Second impression. Sanibel Island, Florida. 399 pp. ISBN 0-88359-042-5. (Tropidosaura montana, p. 176 + Plate 62).
  4. ↑ Hewitt J (1926).

Further reading

  • Duméril AMC, Bibron G (1839). Erpétologie générale ou Histoire naturelle complète des Reptiles. Tome cinquième [Volume 5]. Paris: Roret. viii + 854 pp. (Tropidosaura montana, new combination, pp. 172–173). (in French).
  • FitzSimons VFM (1947). "Descriptions of New Species and Subspecies of Reptiles and Amphibians from Natal, together with Notes on some little known Species". Annals of the Natal Museum, Pietermaritzburg 11 (1): 111–137. (Tropidosaura montana natalensis, new subspecies).
  • Gray JE (1831). "A Synopsis of the Species of the Class Reptilia". pp. 1–110. In: Griffith E (1831). The Animal Kingdom arranged in Conformity with its Organization by the Baron Cuvier, Member of the Institute of France, &c. &c. &c., with additional Descriptions of all the Species hitherto named, and of many not before noticed, Volume the Ninth. London: Whittaker, Treacher and Co. 481 pp. + supplement, 110 pp. ("Lacerta (Tropidosaurus) Montanus ", new species, p. 35 of supplement).
  • Gray JE (1845). Catalogue of the Specimens of Lizards in the Collection of the British Museum. London: Trustees of the British Museum. (Edward Newman, printer). xxviii + 289 pp. (Tropidosaura montana, p. 35).
  • Hewitt J (1926). "Some New or Little-known Reptiles and Batrachians from South Africa". Annals of the South African Museum 20: 473–490 + Plates XLIV–XLV. (Tropidosaura montana rangeri, new subspecies, pp. 485–486 + Plate XLIV, figure 3).



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