Pedioplanis rubens

Pedioplanis rubens
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Lacertidae
Genus: Pedioplanis
Species:
P. rubens
Binomial name
Pedioplanis rubens
(Mertens, 1954)
Synonyms[2]
  • Eremias undata rubens
    Mertens, 1954
  • Mesalina undata rubens
    — Szczerbak, 1989
  • Pedioplanis undata rubens
    — Mayer, 1989
  • Pedioplanis rubens
    — Makokha et al., 2007

Pedioplanis rubens, called commonly the Waterberg sand lizard,[3] reddish sand lizard, and (misleadingly[4]) Ruben's sand lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to Namibia.[1][2]

Etymology

The specific name, rubens, which means "tinged with red" in Latin, is not in honor of any person named Ruben,[4] but rather refers to the brick red color of the tail.[2]

Geographic range

P. rubens is found atop the northern portion of the Waterberg Plateau in Namibia.[3]

Habitat

The natural habitat of P. rubens is mopane savanna with red sandstone.[3]

Description

P. rubens may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 5 cm (2.0 in). The tail is long, slightly more than twice SVL. Dorsally, the head and body are brown, and the tail is bright brick red. Ventrally, it is lighter-colored.[3]

Reproduction

P. rubens is oviparous.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Bauer, A.M.; Becker, F. (2020). "Pedioplanis rubens". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T197002A110221939. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T197002A110221939.en. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d Pedioplanis rubens at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 16 May 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d Branch, Bill (2004). Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Third Revised edition, Second impression. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 399 pp. ISBN 0-88359-042-5. (Pedioplanus rubens, p. 173 + Plate 58).
  4. ^ a b Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp.ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5 (Pedioplanis rubens, p. 228).

Further reading

  • Makokha JS, Bauer AM, Mayer W, Matthee CA (2007). "Nuclear and mtDNA-based phylogeny of southern African sand lizards, Pedioplanis (Sauria: Lacertidae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 44 (2): 622–633. (Pedioplanis rubens, new status).
  • Mayer W (1989). "Comments on SZCZERBAK's (1975) catalogue of the African Sand Lizards (Reptilia: Sauria: Eremiainae)". Herpetozoa 1 (3/4): 133–137. (Pedioplanis undata rubens, new combination, p. 135).
  • Mertens R (1954). "Neue Eidechsen aus Südwest-Afrika". Senckenbergiana 34: 175–183. (Eremias undata rubens, new subspecies, p. 177). (in German).
  • Szczerbak, "Nikolai N. [sic]" (1989). "Catalogue of the African Sand Lizards (Reptilia: Sauria: Eremiainae: Lampreremias, Pseuderemias, Taenieremias, Mesalina, Meroles)". Herpetozoa 1 (3/4): 119–132. (Mesalina undata rubens, new combination, p. 125). (This paper was originally published in 1975 in Russian as "[Katalog afrikanskih Jascurok]". by the [Academy of Sciences, Institute of Zoology, Museum of Zoology, Kiev, USSR]).



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