Special Sub-Topic: Reptiles of South Africa Click Here To Play: Reptiles of South Africa

Which of the following snakes can swallow an egg, several times the size of its own head?

rhombic eggeater. This is quite a remarkable feat. In order for the rhombic eggeater (Dasypeltis scabra) to achieve this, it dislocates its jaws and slowly proceeds to swallow the egg, pushing the shell against the back of the throat. There, it is pierced by a projecting vertebra from the spine, so the contents flow out of the egg and are eaten. The broken shell is spat out afterwards. There is no such snake named 'the green eggswallower'.

The boomslang (Dispholidus typus) is a rear-fanged snake.

t. The boomslang grows up to 1.3 metres in length and has large, round, bulging eyes. It has a very good eyesight and so manages to catch prey such as chameleons. A poisonous snake, its bite is fatal to humans, the venom being haemotoxic. However, being a rear-fanged snake, it cannot easily and effectively bite a human so deaths are rare.

What is the colour of a black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis)?

grey-brown. The black mamba is the longest venomous snake in Africa and can reach up to 3.5 metres in length. It a much feared snake, mostly because of its exceptional speed. It is not black, as the name suggests, but has a grey-brownish colour. Another remarkable ability of this snake is that it can rear up the front third of its body almost to shoulder height. The venom is neurotoxic and causes death through paralysis unless treated immediately.

There is a certain viper called the horned adder (Bitis caudulis). Why is it named like that?

a horn of skin projects above each eye. The horned adder is quite small and often conceals itself in the sand or under rocks to ambush its prey.

Which of the following lizards rolls itself into a spiky ball?

armadillo girdled lizard. Girdled lizards are medium-sized and their skin is rough, resembling that of a crocodile. When they hide inside cracks and crevices, they inflate their bodies so that their attacker cannot get them out. More specifically, the armadillo girdled lizard (Cordylus cataphractus) can also defend itself by gripping its tail in its mouth and rolling into a spiky ball.

The Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) is the only species of crocodile found in southern Africa.

t. That's true. Adults can reach more than 5 metres in length and can weigh over 1000kg. They eat fish and mammals (even as large as a buffalo) that come by the water to drink. They kill their prey by dragging it under water to drown and then try to cut chunks of flesh using their sharp teeth which are however not suitable for chewing. They are even known to leave water and walk on land to steal a lion's kill. Crocodiles show more devoted parental care than any other reptile: the female crocodile carries the new-hatched crocs in her mouth and they remain under her protection for 6-8 weeks until they are big enough to live on their own.

Cape cobras often climb trees to raid sociable weaver nests.

t. The Cape Cobra (Naja nivea) is less than 1.5 metres long but has very strong venom. Cape cobras are usually brown, but in the Kalahari golden-yellow cobras occur. They are diurnal hunters and often wander near farms.

Where does a female Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus) lay her eggs?

inside a termite mound. The Nile monitor lives in aquatic habitats and is over 2 metres long. In spring, a female breaks a termite mound and lays around 60 eggs. The termites then repair the damage, locking the eggs inside where they incubate in perfect conditions. The eggs hatch when the next spring rain comes and the damp soil allows the little monitors to break themselves free.

Where does the angulate tortoise (Chersina angulata) live?

in sandy coasts. This tortoise is found in the sandy coasts of the Cape region and feeds on thick plant leaves and stems that contain a lot of water. Its shell is elongated with a border of black triangles around the rim.

Tree agamas (Acanthocerus atricollis) are highly poisonous lizards.

f. Agamas are lizards with long legs and tails, spiny crests and triangular heads. The tree agama is found on tree trunks and despite common belief, they are not poisonous. However, if caught, they expose their orange mouth lining and bite furiously. The male has a bright blue head, while the female has duller colours.