Platysaurus maculatus Broadley, 1965

Bittencourt-Silva, Gabriela B., Bayliss, Julian & Conradie, Werner, 2020, First herpetological surveys of Mount Lico and Mount Socone, Mozambique, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 247) 14 (2), pp. 198-217 : 208

Platysaurus maculatus Broadley, 1965

Spotted Flat Lizard

Material. MOUNT LICO (base): BMNH 2019.2907, PEM R 23951; MOUNT LICO (top): BMNH 2019.2906, PEM R 23949. Identification. Specimens were identified as belonging to the genus Platysaurus on the basis of their relatively flattened bodies, and are referred to P. maculatus based on the presence of enlarged scales on the side of the neck, which differentiates them from P. mitchelli ( Broadley 1965) . Platysaurus maculatus is mostly restricted to northern Mozambique with an isolated population recorded from Masasi, southern Tanzania ( Scott et al. 2004; Wegner et al. 2009). There are two subspecies, P. m. maculatus and P. m. lineicauda, and based on their geographic distributions, these specimens ( Fig. 4F ) should belong to the nominal subspecies ( Broadley 1965). These specimens also conform morphologically to P. m. maculatus in having six sublabials, the supranasals in broad contact, and the occipital absent. Comments. Specimens (only juveniles) were found on the granitic slopes of Mount Lico in sympatry with Trachylepis margaritifera .

Figures

Fig. 4. Reptiles from Mount Lico and Mount Socone, northern Mozambique. (A) Agama kirkii; (B) A. mossambica; (C) Chamaeleo dilepis; (D) Rhampholeon tilburyi; (E) Trioceros melleri; (F) Platysaurus maculatus; (G) Lygodactylus sp.; (H) Melanoseps ater; (I) Panaspis aff. maculicollis; (J) Dasypeltis scabra; (K–L) Philothamnus macrops; (M–N) Naja subfulva; (O) Boaedon fuliginosus.