African plated lizard

The African plated lizard belongs to the family Cordylidae, which includes small to medium-sized lizards found in sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. These lizards are characterized by spiny or platelike protective scales that are underlain by bony plates. Most species are terrestrial and have well-developed legs. They are primarily insectivorous, feeding on a variety of arthropods, though larger species may also consume small vertebrates. The family is divided into two subfamilies: girdle-tailed lizards, which are mostly viviparous (give birth to live young), and plated lizards, which are oviparous (lay eggs).1