SANBI

Rationale (Changed due to Same category and criteria)

Has a restricted range, but because it is rupicolous its habitat has not undergone substantial habitat transformation, it is assessed as Least Concern.

Distribution

Endemic to South Africa and eSwatini [Swaziland], with a relatively widespread range extending from eastern Mpumalanga south through Eswatini [Swaziland] to northern KwaZulu-Natal (Jacobsen 1989, Boycott 1992, Bourquin 2004, Bates et al. 2014). A photographic record for the Ermelo district attributed to this species in Bates et al. (2014) is not referable to this species.

Habitat View more ecological information

Population trend

Trend

The population is inferred to be stable given that much of its range is not impacted by habitat transformation.

Threats

There are no major threats to this species.

Uses and trade

This species is listed in CITES Appendix II, but has not been exported for pet trade under CITES (UNEP-WCMC 2017). Because of similarity in appearance, and because this species was previously considered a subspecies of Smaug warreni, it is possible that some specimens recorded in the pet trade (up to as recently as 2015) as the latter species (UNEP-WCMC 2017) are in fact referable to S. barbertonensis.

Conservation

This species is listed in CITES Appendix II; it occurs in some protected areas. No conservation actions are recommended, but research is needed to investigate the claim that removal of trees from the species' habitat may have a negative effect because this lizard often selects crevices in the partial shade of trees (Jacobsen 1989).

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}
}
,@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}
}
,@techreport{5336,
 address = {Pretoria, South Africa},
 author = {Jacobsen, N.H.G.},
 institution = {Chief Directorate of Nature and Environmental Conservation},
 title = {The distribution and conservation status of reptiles and amphibians in the Transvaal. Final Report Project TN 6/4/1/30},
 year = {1989}
}
,@article{5336,
 author = {Bourquin, O.},
 journal = {Durban Museum Novitates},
 pages = {57--103},
 title = {Reptiles (Reptilia) in KwaZulu-Natal: 1 - diversity and distribution},
 volume = {29},
 year = {2004}
}
,@article{5336,
 author = {Stanley, E.L. and Bates, M.F.},
 journal = {Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society},
 number = {4},
 pages = {892–909. doi: 10.1111/zoj.12187},
 title = {Here be dragons: a phylogenetic and biogeographical study of the <i>Smaug warreni</i> species complex (Squamata: Cordylidae) in southern Africa},
 volume = {172},
 year = {2014}
}
,@phdthesis{196991,
 author = {Boycott, R.C.},
 school = {M.Sc. thesis, University of Natal, Durban, South Africa},
 title = {A Herpetofaunal Survey of Swaziland},
 year = {1992}
}
,]

How to cite this assessment

See the partners page

Send feedback about this assessment to SANBI

Red List of South African Species