Tetradactylus fitzsimonsi

Tetradactylus fitzsimonsi, commonly known as Fitzsimons' long-tailed seps and FitzSimons' whip lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Gerrhosauridae. The species is endemic to South Africa.

Etymology

The specific name, fitzsimonsi, is in honour of Irish-born South African herpetologist Frederick William FitzSimons.

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of T. fitzsimonsi are grassland and shrubland.

Description

T. fitzsimonsi has no front legs. Its hind legs are minute, with only one toe on each foot. Adults may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of about and a total length (including a long tail) of about .

Reproduction

T. fitzsimonsi is oviparous. A clutch of 2–5 eggs is laid in a live ant nest (Anochetus faurei). Communal nesting has been observed. Each egg measures about . Each hatchling has a total length (including tail) of about .

References

Further reading

• , Branch WR, , , , , (editors) (2014). Atlas and Red List of the Reptiles of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Suricata 1. Pretoria: South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). xvii + 485 pp. . (Tetradactylus fitzsimonsi, p. 234).
• FitzSimons VF (1943). The Lizards of South Africa. Transvaal Museum Memoir No. 1. Pretoria: Transvaal Museum. xvi + 528 pp. (Tetradactylus africanus fitzsimonsi, new taxonomic status, p. 297).
• Hewitt J (1915). "Descriptions of two new South African lizards, Tetradactylus levicauda and T. fitzsimonsi ". Annals of the Transvaal Museum 5 (2): 101–103. (Tetradactylus fitzsimonsi, new species).