Annals of the Transvaal Museum. 
THE SOUTH AFRICAN SPECIES OF AGAMA.* 
By Lewis Henry Gough, Ph.D. 
Eight species of Agama were quoted by Mr. Sclater in his “ List of 
the Reptiles and Batrachians of South Africa” (Ann. S.A. Mus., Vol. I, 
pp. 95-111, 1899) as occurring in this sub-Continent, viz. : — Agama hispida 
(Linn), Agama brachyura Blgr., Agama aculeata Merr., Agama armata 
Peters, Agama atra Daud, Agama planiceps Peters, Agama microterolepis 
Blgr. 
The following additions or alterations to the list were then, or have 
subsequently become, necessary : - 
Agama pulchella Bocage, 1896, from Modder River, O.R.C. 
Agama holubi Bocage, 1896, from Modder River, O.R.C. 
(Agama micropholis, Matschie, 1890, Transvaal). 
Agama distanti, Blgr., 1902, Transvaal. 
However, Agama micropholis has been reduced to a synonym of 
Agama atra by Tornier (Zool. Jahrb. Syst. XV, p. 673, 1902), and 
Boulenger has placed Agama microterolepis also in the synonomy of the 
same species (P.Z.S., 1905, 11 (7), p. 253). Agama brachyura has been 
redescribed by Boulenger (loc. cit., p. 252). 
The revised list would now read : — Agama hispida , Agama brachyura , 
Agama aculeata , Agama armata, Agama atra, Agama planiceps, Agama 
atricollis, Agama pulchella, Agama holubi, Agama distanti. 
During the working out of the lizards of the collections of the 
Transvaal Museum and of the Albany Museum, it became necessary to go 
into this group more carefully, and it was found that six of the ten species 
were represented in the collections. As the literature on the subject is 
rather scattered, and as they form a most difficult group, I am here 
giving the descriptions of each species, with notes on the specimens at my 
disposal, and a key for their identification. I have included in the key 
Agama hirhi, Agama mossambica, Agama anchietce, and Agama colonorum, 
as being likely to occur in the northern portion of the sub-Continent, and 
have also given their descriptions at length. 
Hone of the South African species have a regular gular pouch, hut all 
have a more or less distinct gular fold ; in some species the skin of the 
throat is somewhat plicate. 
The species under consideration can he divided roughly into two 
groups, species with heterogenous scaling on the hack, and species with 
homogenous scaling. This grouping seems to be faulty when applied to 
Agama atra Daud, some specimens appearing to have almost homogenous 
scaling, others to have heterogenous. However, closer examination will 
usually, if not always, reveal the scaling to belong to the latter description. 
In the key, this species is made to come out under both headings, in 
order to facilitate identification. The relative length of hind leg to body, 
i.e. how far it extends wdien adpressed, as also the relative length of the 
tail, varies in some species very considerably according to sex ; the tail 
* Paper read at the Grahamstown meeting of the S,A.A,A.S. ? July, 1908, 
