Platysaurus capensis

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 capensis
Name

Platysaurus capensis Smith, 1844: unpaginated; plate XL

Lectotype: BMNH 1946.8.29.26 (formerly BMNH 65.5.4.110). [designated by Broadley (1978)]

Type locality: “Great Namaqualand”, retricted to “Kamiesberg region, Namaqualand, Northern Cape Province, South Africa” by Whiting, Branch, Pepper & Keogh (2015: 184).

Paralectotype: MHNP 2807.
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.
Whiting, M.J., Branch, W.R., Pepper, M. & Keogh, J.S. 2015. A new species of spectacularly coloured flat lizard Platysaurus (Squamata: Cordylidae: Platysaurinae) from southern Africa. Zootaxa 3986(2): 173–192. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3986.2.2. Preview (PDF) Reference page.

Links

Uetz, P. & Hallermann, J. 2022. Platysaurus capensis. The Reptile Database. Accessed on 22 April 2018.
Whiting, M.J. 2017. IUCN: Platysaurus capensis (Least Concern). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T110164281A110312439. DOI: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T110164281A110312439.en

Vernacular names
English: Namaqua Flat Lizard

The Cape flat lizard or Namaqua flat lizard (Platysaurus capensis) is a lizard in the Cordylidae family found in Namibia and South Africa.

Description
Views of head and hind limb

Females and juveniles have a dark brown back with three wide white stripes which run down head to tail. Their bellies are white with a black blotch in the center. Adult males, on the other hand, have the upper half of their body bright blue, sometimes with pale spots or stripes. The back half, including the tail, is dark red. Adults are 5 to 6.6 inches long.
Geography

This lizard lives in the southwestern part of Africa, in Namibia and South Africa. The Cape flat lizard lives in deserts with many rocks.
Habits

Cape flat lizards hunt by ambush, waiting under a shady spot for an insect to pass by. It will also eat flowers and berries. Cape flat lizards are shy and often run for cover when threatened. People often see these lizards from a distance on top of rocks. They may live in small groups. Cape flat lizards lay their eggs in November or December.
See also

Platysaurus
Cordylidae

References

Whiting, M.J.; Bates, M.F. (2018). "Platysaurus capensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T116770668A116761151. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T116770668A116761151.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
"Platysaurus Species". The Reptile Database. Retrieved 2007-09-04.