Short-headed Sandveld Lizard

Short-headed Sandveld Lizard

Pedioplanis breviceps

Silhouette: Gustav Mützel · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Namib-Naukluft National Park
16 Verified sightings at Namib-Naukluft National Park From 2019 to 2026
16 Verified sightings across 1 park From 2019 to 2026
October Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Short-headed Sandveld Lizard

Pedioplanis breviceps, known commonly as the short-headed sand lizard, the short-headed sandveld lizard, and Sternfeld's sand lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to Namibia. P. breviceps is found in northwestern Namibia.

The preferred natural habitat of P. breviceps is desert. P. breviceps is a small species for its genus. It has a short head, to which the specific name, breviceps, refers. Adults have a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 4.5–5.5 cm (1.8–2.2 in). The lower eyelid is scaly and opaque, without a "window". There is sexual dimorphism in coloration: adult females and juveniles have distinct dark dorsal stripes, but adult males are uniformly brown dorsally.

P. breviceps is oviparous. An adult female may lay a clutch of 2–4 eggs. Each egg measures 11 mm (0.43 in) by 6 mm (0.24 in). Each hatchling has a total length (including tail) of 5–8 cm (2.0–3.1 in). Conradie W, Measey GJ, Branch WR, Tolley KA (2012). "Revised phylogeny of African sand lizards (Pedioplanis), with description of two new species from south-western Angola... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
~10%

More parks will be added in future updates.

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Short-headed Sandveld Lizard in Namib-Naukluft National Park?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Short-headed Sandveld Lizard sighting in Namib-Naukluft National Park, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Short-headed Sandveld Lizard in Namib-Naukluft National Park?

October has the highest sighting rate for Short-headed Sandveld Lizard in Namib-Naukluft National Park in our monthly data.

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