Republic of South Africa
Checklist of Endemic Reptile Species
This list of reptile species found exclusively in the Republic of South Africa is based on the taxonomy used in the EMBL Reptile Database (2005). For further details on possible inaccuracies in the list see Sources & Caveats.
The EMBL Reptile Database CD September 2001 edition. Updated with changes through 2004 making it current to January 2005. http://www.reptile-database.org/db-info/changes2005.html
The current version of this database is the TIGR Reptile Database http://www.reptile-database.org/
Macrelaps microlepidotus (Squamata Ophidia - Atractaspididae) Natal Black Snake
Lamprophis fiskii (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Fisk's House Snake
Lycophidion pygmaeum (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Pygmy Wolf Snake
Montaspis gilvomaculata (Squamata Ophidia - Colubridae) Cream-spotted Mountain Snake
Homoroselaps lacteus (Squamata Ophidia - Elapidae) Spotted Harlequin Snake
Leptotyphlops jacobseni (Squamata Ophidia - Leptotyphlopidae) Jacobsen's Thread Snake
Leptotyphlops sylvicolus (Squamata Ophidia - Leptotyphlopidae) Forest Thread Snake
Typhlops verticalis (Squamata Ophidia - Typhlopidae)
Bitis albanica (Squamata Ophidia - Viperidae) Albany Adder
Bitis armata (Squamata Ophidia - Viperidae) Southern Adder
Bitis inornata (Squamata Ophidia - Viperidae) Plain Mountain Adder
Bitis rubida (Squamata Ophidia - Viperidae) Red Adder
Bradypodion caffer (Squamata Sauria - Chamaeleonidae) Tranksei Dwarf Chameleon
Bradypodion damaranum (Squamata Sauria - Chamaeleonidae) Knysna Dwarf Chameleon
Bradypodion dracomontanum (Squamata Sauria - Chamaeleonidae) Drakensberg Dwarf Chameleon
Bradypodion gutturale (Squamata Sauria - Chamaeleonidae) Robertson Dwarf Chameleon
Bradypodion karrooicum (Squamata Sauria - Chamaeleonidae) Karoo Dwarf Chameleon
Bradypodion nemorale (Squamata Sauria - Chamaeleonidae) Zululand Dwarf Chameleon
Bradypodion setaroi (Squamata Sauria - Chamaeleonidae) Setaro's Dwarf Chameleon
Bradypodion taeniabronchum (Squamata Sauria - Chamaeleonidae) Smith's Dwarf Chameleon
Bradypodion thamnobates (Squamata Sauria - Chamaeleonidae) Natal Midlands Dwarf Chameleon
Bradypodion ventrale (Squamata Sauria - Chamaeleonidae) Southern Dwarf Chameleon
Cordylus aridus (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Dwarf Karoo Girdled Lizard
Cordylus cataphractus (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Armadillo Girdled Lizard
Cordylus cloetei (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Cloete's Girdled Lizard
Cordylus coeruleopunctatus (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Blue-spotted Girdled Lizard
Cordylus giganteus (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Giant Girdled Lizard
Cordylus imkeae (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Rooiberg Girdled Lizard
Cordylus lawrenci (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Lawrence's Girdled Lizard
Cordylus macropholis (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Large-scaled Girdled Lizard
Cordylus mclachlani (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) McLachlan's Girdled Lizard
Cordylus minor (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Dwarf Girdled Lizard
Cordylus niger (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Black Girdled Lizard
Cordylus oelofseni (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Oelofsen's Girdled Lizard
Cordylus peersi (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Peers's Girdled Lizard
Cordylus tasmani (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Tasman's Girdled Lizard
Platysaurus broadleyi (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Augrabies Flat Lizard
Platysaurus lebomboensis (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Lebombo Flat Lizard
Platysaurus minor (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Waterberg Flat Lizard
Platysaurus monotropis (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Orange-throated Flat Lizard
Platysaurus orientalis (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Sekukhune Flat Lizard
Platysaurus relictus (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Soutpansberg Flat Lizard
Pseudocordylus capensis (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Graceful Crag Lizard
Pseudocordylus microlepidotus (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Cape Crag Lizard
Pseudocordylus nebulosus (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Dwarf Crag Lizard
Pseudocordylus spinosus (Squamata Sauria - Cordylidae) Spiny Crag Lizard
Afroedura amatolica (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Amatola Flat Gecko
Afroedura hawequensis (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Hawequa Flat Gecko
Afroedura tembulica (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Tembo Flat Gecko
Afrogecko porphyreus (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Marbled Leaf-toed Gecko
Afrogecko swartbergensis (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Swartberg African Leaf-toed Gecko
Cryptactites peringueyi (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Peringuey's Leaf-toed Gecko
Goggia braacki (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Braack's Dwarf Leaf-toed Gecko
Goggia essexi (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Essex's Dwarf Leaf-toed Gecko
Goggia hewitti (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Hewitt's Dwarf Leaf-toed Gecko
Goggia hexapora (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Cedarberg Dwarf Leaf-toed Gecko
Goggia microlepidota (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Small-scaled Dwarf Leaf-toed Gecko
Goggia rupicola (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Namaqualand Dwarf Leaf-toed Gecko
Homopholis mulleri (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Muller's Velvet Gecko
Lygodactylus graniticolus (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Granite Dwarf Gecko
Lygodactylus methueni (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Methuen's Dwarf Gecko
Lygodactylus nigropunctatus (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Black-spotted Dwarf Gecko
Lygodactylus waterbergensis (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Waterberg Dwarf Gecko
Pachydactylus amoenus (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae)
Pachydactylus austeni (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Austen's Gecko
Pachydactylus geitje (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Ocellated Gecko
Pachydactylus kladaroderma (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Thin-skinned Thick-toed Gecko
Pachydactylus labialis (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Western Cape Gecko
Pachydactylus monticolus (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae)
Pachydactylus oculatus (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Golden Spotted Gecko
Pachydactylus vansoni (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) Van Son's Thick-toed Gecko
Gerrhosaurus typicus (Squamata Sauria - Gerrhosauridae) Namaqua Plated Lizard
Tetradactylus breyeri (Squamata Sauria - Gerrhosauridae) Breyer's Long-tailed Seps
Tetradactylus eastwoodae (Squamata Sauria - Gerrhosauridae) Eastwood's Longtailed Seps
Tetradactylus seps (Squamata Sauria - Gerrhosauridae) Short-legged Seps
Tetradactylus tetradactylus (Squamata Sauria - Gerrhosauridae) Common Long-tailed Seps
Australolacerta australis (Squamata Sauria - Lacertidae) Southern Rock Lizard
Australolacerta rupicola (Squamata Sauria - Lacertidae) Soutpansberg Rock Lizard
Tropidosaura gularis (Squamata Sauria - Lacertidae) Cape Mountain Lizard
Tropidosaura montana (Squamata Sauria - Lacertidae) Common Mountain Lizard
Acontias breviceps (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Short-headed Legless Skink
Acontias gracilicauda (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Thin-tailed Legless Skink
Acontias litoralis (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Coastal Legless Skink
Acontias meleagris (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Cape Legless Skink
Acontias poecilus (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Variegated Legless Skink
Acontophiops lineatus (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Woodbush Legless Skink
Panaspis maculicollis (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Spotted-neck Snake-eyed Skink
Scelotes anguina (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Algoa Dwarf Burrowing Skink
Scelotes bicolor (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Two-colored Dwarf Burrowing Skink
Scelotes bidigittatus (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Lowveld Dwarf Burrowing Skink
Scelotes bipes (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Silvery Dwarf Burrowing Skink
Scelotes bourquini (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Bourquin's Dwarf Burrowing Skink
Scelotes caffer (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Cape Dwarf Burrowing Skink
Scelotes gronovii (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Gronovi's Dwarf Burrowing Skink
Scelotes guentheri (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Guenther's Dwarf Burrowing Skink
Scelotes kasneri (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Kasner's Dwarf Burrowing Skink
Scelotes sexlineatus (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Striped Dwarf Burrowing Skink
Scelotes vestigifer (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Coastal Dwarf Burrowing Skink
Typhlosaurus caecus (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Cuvier's Blind Legless Skink
Typhlosaurus lomii (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Lomi's Blind Legless Skink
Typhlosaurus vermis (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Boulenger's Blind Legless Skink
Homopus areolatus (Testudines - Testudinidae) Common Padloper
Homopus boulengeri (Testudines - Testudinidae) Karoo Padloper
Homopus femoralis (Testudines - Testudinidae) Greater Padloper
Homopus signatus (Testudines - Testudinidae) Speckled Padloper
Psammobates geometricus (Testudines - Testudinidae) Geometric Tortoise
Additional endemic reptile species that were described too recently to be included in the January 2005 version of the EMBL Reptile Database are given below. This list is primarily based on information from the current version of the TIGR Reptile Database (here) and includes species described through 2008. In addition to the 106 endemic reptile species listed above, these additional 6 species total 112 species of reptiles known solely from the Republic of South Africa.
Bradypodion atromontanum (Squamata Sauria - Chamaeleonidae) Swartberg Dwarf Chameleon 2006
Bradypodion caeruleogula (Squamata Sauria - Chamaeleonidae) Eshowe Dwarf Chameleon 2008
Bradypodion nkandlae (Squamata Sauria - Chamaeleonidae) Nkandla Dwarf Chameleon 2008
Pachydactylus atorquatus (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) 2006
Pachydactylus goodi (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) 2006
Scelotes montispectus (Squamata Sauria - Scincidae) Bloubergstrand Dwarf Burrowing Skink 2003