Species of Latastia are medium to large-sized lacertids with long cylindrical tails. The unregenerated tail is up to 3.2 times longer than head and body. Eyes with movable lids. The nostril is surrounded by 3-5 scales and usually reaches the first supralabial. The collar is well marked. Ventral plates smooth and in 6 longitudinal series (sometimes 8-10 with outer plates small). The dorsal scales are homogenous, small and granular or imbricate. There are no expanded scales along the mid-back line as in Philochortus. Femoral pores are present on the inside of the thighs, more prominent in males. Tail base in males much broader than in females.[5]
Habitat and natural history
Most long-tailed lizards of the genus Latastia inhabit well vegetated sandy or gravelly plains and large wadis in western and eastern Africa. They can be found in semidesert scrubland and deciduous Acacia-Commiphora bushland where scrubby undergrowth is plentiful,[6] in moist savanna and high grassland [7] or in millet fields.[8]Latastia boscai boscai and L. b. burii are known to occur in stony and rocky localities.[9] Species of Latastia are distributed from sea level to 2000 m altitude.[5][10]
They are diurnal, heliophilous and terrestrial, extremely wary fast-running lacertids which wander over large territories but forage mostly within vegetation cover during the heat of the day. They dart out into the sun to capture insects and other arthropods, after which they retreat into shady areas beneath bushes (thermoregulation).[7] All species lay eggs but clutch details are known only for L. longicaudata. The population in Senegal (L. l. longicaudata) produces clutches of 5-7 eggs between July and September [11] while females of L. l. revoili in southeastern Kenya lay only 3-4 eggs/clutch.[9] Hatchlings appear during the wet season.[11]
Arillo A, Balletto E, Spanò S (1967). "Il genere Latastia Bedriaga in Somalia ". Bollettino dei Musei e degli Istituti Biologici dell’Università di Genova35 (229): 105–145. (L. cherchii, new species). (in Italian).
Baha El Din S (2006). A Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Egypt. Cairo and New York: The American University in Cairo Press.
Loveridge A (1936). "Scientific Results of an Expedition to Rain Forest Regions in Eastern Africa, V. Reptiles". Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoölogy at Harvard College79 (5): 209–337.
Mertens R (1938). "Über eine herpetologische Sammlung aus dem Gebiete des Njarasa-Grabens Ost-Afrikas ". Veröffentlichungen aus dem Deutschen Kolonial- und Übersee-Museum in Bremen2 (1): 1–9 [no page numbers] (L. petersiana, nomen novum for L. carinata). (in German).
Monard A (1940). "Résultats de la mission du Dr. Monard en Guinée Portugaise 1937 – 1938 ". Arquivos do Museu Bocage, Lisbon11: 147–182. (L. ornata, new species). (in French).
Parker HW (1935). "Two new lizards from Somaliland ". Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Tenth Series16: 525–529. (L. caeruleopunctata, new species).
Spawls S, Howell KM, Drewes RC, Ashe J (2002). A Field Guide to the Reptiles of East Africa. San Diego, San Francisco, New York, Boston, London: Academic Press, Elsevier Science. 543 pp.
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