Platysaurus guttatus

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Lepidosauromorpha
Superordo: Lepidosauria
Ordo: Squamata
Subordo: Scincomorpha
Superfamilia: Scincoidea

Familia: Cordylidae
Subfamilia: Platysaurinae
Genus: Platysaurus
Species: Platysaurus guttatus
Name

Platysaurus guttatus Smith, 1844: App. p. 8

Holotype: BMNH 1946.8.10.33.

Type locality: “neighbourhood of the Limpopo River near the Tropic of Capricorn”.
References
Primary references

Smith, A. 1838–1849. Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa; Consisting Chiefly of Figures and Descriptions of the Objects of Natural History Collected During an Expedition Into the Interior of South Africa, in the Years 1834, 1835, and 1836; Fitted Out by “The Cape of Good Hope Association for Exploring Central Africa.” Published Under the Authority of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Treasury. Reptilia. Vol. 2. Smith, Elder and Co.: London. [100] + 28 pp., pls. 1–78. BHL Reference page.

Links

Uetz, P. & Hallermann, J. 2022. Platysaurus guttatus. The Reptile Database. Accessed on 22 April 2018.
Whiting, M.J. 2017. IUCN: Platysaurus guttatus (Least Concern). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T110164296A110320195. DOI: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T110164296A110320195.en

Vernacular names
English: Dwarf Flat Lizard

The dwarf flat lizard or lesser flat lizard (Platysaurus guttatus) is a lizard in the family Cordylidae. It is found in Southern Africa.[2]
Contents

1 Description
2 Geography
3 Habits
4 References

Description

Females and juveniles have a dark brown back with three thin, broken-up pale stripes and several pale spots between these stripes. The throat is blue-white, while the chest and belly are white. Adult males are green to blue-green on their back, with numerous pale spots. On the head, there are three pale stripes, while on the tail, there is bright orange which is paler underneath. The throat is pale green with black speckles and has no collar. The chest is blue and the belly is darker blue. The sides are blue like the belly, but are green or blue when immature. When the underneath a tree they start to change colors.
Geography

This lizard lives in South Africa, Botswana, southern Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Malawi.[2]

The dwarf flat lizard lives in arid and mesic savannas. This species also occurs with Platysaurus minor, the Waterberg flat lizard.
Habits

The dwarf flat lizard lives in small family groups and is very agile. Dwarf flat lizards lay two white eggs during October and December.
References

Bates, M.F.; Whiting, M.J. (2018). "Platysaurus guttatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T110164296A115676629. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T110164296A115676629.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
Platysaurus guttatus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 13 January 2019.