Red List of South African Species

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Least Concern (LC)
Assessors: Michael Bates
Facilitators: Graham Alexander Krystal Tolley
Reviewers: Graham Alexander Adriaan Jordaan Paula Strauss Jody Taft

Rationale (Changed due to Same category and criteria)

Although subpopulations tend to occur as montane isolates, the species is widespread and common with no major threats and is therefore listed as Least Concern. However, should some genetically distinct populations be described as separate species, new conservation assessments will be required.

Distribution

Endemic to South Africa and largely restricted to the Western Cape, occurring in a series of isolated montane subpopulations from the Cedarberg in the north to Landroskop in the south, then eastwards through the Cape Fold Mountains from the Hottentots Holland Mountains to the Kammanassieberg (Branch 1985, Herselman et al. 1992, Bates et al. 2014). There are only a few marginal records in the Northern Cape and Eastern Cape provinces (eastern-most locality is Kouga Mountains). The most inland locality is the Witteberg (1,052 m) near Matjiesfontein, and the species also occurs in the Piketberg and Skurweberg in the west (Herselman 1991).

Population trend

Trend

The population is inferred to be stable.

Threats

There are no major threats to this species.

Uses and trade

This species is listed in CITES Appendix II, but has never been exported from South Africa for pet trade under CITES (UNEP-WCMC 2017). 

Conservation

This species is listed in CITES Appendix II; it occurs in many protected areas. No conservation actions are recommended.

References 

[@electronic{181632,
 address = {www.iucnredlist.org},
 author = {IUCN},
 title = {The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2018-2},
 year = {2018}
}
,@book{612,
 address = {Pretoria},
 author = {Bates, M.F., Branch, W.R., Bauer, A.M., Burger, M., Marais, J., Alexander, G.J. and de Villiers, M.S.},
 publisher = {Suricata 1. South African National Biodiversity Institute},
 title = {Atlas and Red List of the Reptiles of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland},
 year = {2014}
}
,@book{2817,
 address = {Cape Town},
 author = {Branch, W.R.},
 publisher = {Struik Publishers},
 title = {Field Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Second Edition},
 year = {1998}
}
,@electronic{3009,
 address = {https://trade.cites.org/},
 author = {UNEP-WCMC},
 title = {CITES Trade Database},
 year = {2017}
}
,@article{5333,
 author = {Stanley, E.L., Bauer, A.M., Jackson, T.R., Branch, W.R. and Mouton, P. le F.N. },
 journal = {Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution},
 pages = {53--70},
 title = {Between a rock and a hard polytomy: Rapid radiation in the rupicolous girdled lizards (Squamata: Cordylidae)},
 volume = {58},
 year = {2011}
}
,@article{16939,
 author = {FitzSimons, V.F.M.},
 journal = {Memoirs of the Transvaal Museum},
 pages = {i--xv + 1--528, +24 pls + map},
 title = {The lizards of South Africa},
 volume = {1},
 year = {1943}
}
,@article{196928,
 author = {Branch, W.R.},
 journal = {Annals of the Cape Provincial Museums (Natural History)},
 pages = {141--167},
 title = {An annotated checklist of the lizards of the Cape Province, South Africa},
 volume = {13},
 year = {1981}
}
,@article{110158816,
 author = {Branch, W.R.},
 journal = {The Naturalist},
 number = {3},
 pages = {10--18},
 title = {Cape lizards. VIII. Girdled lizards and their relatives},
 volume = {29},
 year = {1985}
}
,@article{110160470,
 author = {Loveridge, A.},
 journal = {Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard},
 pages = {1--118},
 title = {Revision of the African lizards of the family Cordylidae},
 volume = {95},
 year = {1944}
}
,@article{110160470,
 author = {Herselman, Y.M., Mouton, P. le F.N. and Van Wyk, J.H.},
 journal = {Amphibia-Reptilia},
 number = {2},
 pages = {109--119},
 title = {The status of the races of the graceful crag lizard, <i>Pseudocordylus capensis</i>, from South Africa},
 volume = {13},
 year = {1992}
}
,@phdthesis{110160470,
 author = {Herselman, Y.M.},
 school = {M.Sc. thesis, University of Stellenbosch},
 title = {A Revision of the Taxonomic Status of <i>Pseudocordylus capensis</i> (Reptilia: Cordylidae)},
 year = {1991}
}
,@article{110160470,
 author = {Van Dam, G.P.F.},
 journal = {Annals of the Transvaal Museum},
 number = {4},
 pages = {244, pl. V},
 title = {Description of a new variety of a South African lizard of the family Gekkonidae},
 volume = {7},
 year = {1921}
}
,@phdthesis{110160470,
 author = {Mabe, L.T.},
 school = {B.Sc. Honours thesis, University of the Free State, Qwaqwa Campus, Qwaqwa},
 title = {Graceful Crag Lizards (Cordylidae: <i>Pseudocordylus capensis</i>) are a Recent Species Radiation in the Cape Fold Mountains},
 year = {2009}
}
,]
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