Observations on sexual dimorphism and social structure in the lizard Angolosaurus skoogi (Cordylidae) of the northern Namib Desert dunes

Abstract

Angolosaurus skoogi is a large, herbivorous lizard of the northern Namib dune sea. Adults are sexually dimorphic in body size and colouration and these differences may be related to social organization. Whether the observed dimorphism is a result of the mating system, as is the case with several other herbivorous lizards, is unresolved. A scale character is described that provides an external indication of sex in non-reproductive individuals and thus provides a means of investigating questions pertaining to sexual dimorphism and other population level questions.