Smaug mossambicus

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Cladus: Craniata
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: Cordylinae
Genus: Smaug
Species: Smaug mossambicus
Name

Smaug mossambicus (FitzSimons, 1958)

Type locality: “Gorongoza Mountain, near Vila Paiva, Mozambique.”
Combinations

Cordylus warreni mossambicus FitzSimons, 1958: 351 [original combination]
Cordylus mossambicus — Branch, 1998 [name combination, elevate to species]
Smaug mossambicus — Stanley et al., 2011: 64 [name combination]

References
Primary references

FitzSimons, V. 1958. A new Cordylus from Gorongoza, Mocambique. Annals of the Transvaal Museum 14: 351–353. Reference page.
Branch, W.R. 1998. Field Guide to the Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Fully Revised and Updated to Include 83 New Species. Ralph Curtis Books: Sanibel Island, Florida. 399 pp. Reference page.
Stanley, E.L., Bauer, A.M., Jackman, T.R., Branch, W.R. & Mouton, P. Le F.N. 2011. Between a rock and a hard polytomy: Rapid radiation in the rupicolous girdled lizards (Squamata: Cordylidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 58(1): 53–70. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2010.08.024 Reference page.

Additional references

Stanley, E.L. & Bates, M.F. 2014. Here be dragons: a phylogenetic and biogeographical study of the Smaug warreni species complex (Squamata: Cordylidae) in southern Africa. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 172(4): 892–909. DOI: 10.1111/zoj.12187 Reference page.

Links

Uetz, P. & Hallermann, J. 2022. Smaug mossambicus. The Reptile Database. Accessed on 10 September 2017.

Vernacular names
English: Gorongosa Girdled Lizard

The Mozambique girdled lizard or flame-bellied armadillo lizard (Smaug mossambicus) is a large, flattened, girdled lizard found on Mount Gorongosa in Mozambique and low elevations in the Chimanimani Mountains at the border of Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It lives in rock outcrops in grasslands and dry, wooded mountain slopes.

The Mozambique girdled lizard is also called the Gorongosa girdled lizard or Cordylus gorongosa (not a valid taxon name). Individuals are exported through Mozambique for the pet trade. They eat a wide variety of small insects (especially beetles and grasshoppers), millipedes, spiders, and occasional small vertebrates.
Description

Mozambique girdled lizards reach 137.5 mm from snout to vent and 281 mm in total length (based on a captive individual). Males are dark brown to black above with bright orange undersides and black throats. Females and juveniles are dark brown above with small cream spots scattered on the neck and back. The bellies and sides are gray with orange and black mottles on the lower jaws and throat.

Males are distinguished from the closely related regal girdled lizard (Smaug regius) by the black chin and throat (yellow chin, mottled throat in S. regius) and the presence of a brown patch in front of the cloaca on the belly. Females and juveniles of S. regius and S. mossambicus are nearly identical. In S. regius, their heads are pale brown. Both species were once considered to be subspecies of the Warren's girdled lizard (Smaug warreni).
Female Smaug mossambicus
References

Farooq, H.; Conradie, W.; Verburgt, L. (2019). "Smaug mossambicus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T110167750A110167783. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T110167750A110167783.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.

Branch, B., 1998. Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Ralph Curtis Books Publishing, Sanibel Island, Florida, 399 p.
Broadley, D. G., 1962. On some reptile collections from the north-western and north-eastern districts of southern Rhodesia 1958-61, with descriptions of four new lizards. Occasional Papers from the Museum of Southern Rhodesia, 48(1): 787-843.
FitzSimons, V., 1958. A New Cordylus from Gorongoza, Mocambique. Annals of the Natal Museum, 14(2): 351-353.