Burchell's Sand Lizard

About the Burchell's Sand Lizard

Pedioplanis burchelli, known commonly as Burchell's sand lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is native to Southern Africa. The specific name, burchelli, is in honor of William John Burchell who was an English explorer and naturalist.

P. burchelli is found in Lesotho and the Republic of South Africa. The preferred natural habitats of P. burchelli are savanna, shrubland, and grassland. Adults of P. burchelli have a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 4.5–5.5 centimetres (1.8–2.2 in). Coloration is very variable. The lower eyelid is opaque, without any transparent "window" scales. There are no enlarged temporal or tympanic shields.

P. burchelli is oviparous. Clutch size is 4-6 eggs. Each oval egg measures about 9 mm (0.35 in) by 11 mm (0.43 in). Each hatchling has a total length (including tail) of about 7.2 cm (2.8 in). Duméril AMC, Bibron G (1839). Erpétologie générale ou Histoire naturelle complète des Reptiles. Tome cinquième [Volume 5]. Paris: Roret. viii + 854 pp. (Eremias burchelli, new species, pp. 303–304). (in French).

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