A new species of rupicolous Cordylus Laurenti 1768 (Sauria: Cordylidae) from Northern Mozambique

Abstract

A new rupicolous girdled lizard, Cordylus meculae Branch, Rödel & Marais, is described from Serra Mecula in the Niassa Game Reserve, northern Mozambique. Morphologically it is closest to C. rhodesianus ‐ which is restricted to the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe (850 km south) ‐ but has more rugose head shields, a wider rostral and grey colouration. Although geographically closer to C. nyikae (found 450 km to the west, across the Rift Valley region and Lake Malawi) it differs in numerous features, including details of scalation and nostril position. It differs from arboreal C. tropidoster‐num in having smooth gular and ventral scalation in adults, a more centrally positioned nostril, dorso‐ventrally flattened head and body, blotched colour pattern, and rock‐living habits. It is the second, and only rupicolous species of Cordylus recorded from northern Mozambique.