Some Bradypodion damaranum

[Rodwraylva]

Found one 2 days ago in Mossel Bay, quite interesting and it was not forest like habitat, does anyone know what their conservation status? I am including them in a report I am doing for the conservancy I work for.

[Westley Price]

The scientific name is very strange though. I would expect to find it in Damaraland in northern Namibia. Do you maybe know the origin of the species name?

Scientific names are in Latin and in most cases refer to structure and physiology of the animal. It's not always as straightforward as an area reference.

Well it seems in this case the scientific name is as simple as being an area reference Read a very interesting snippet on the web regarding B. damaranum's scientific name (cannot seem to find the reference now).

Apparently the species was long thought to occur only in Damaraland in Namibia due to the holotype specimen being mislabelled after it was collected or labels getting mixed up en route to Europe for description. On many of the online sources is still lists the type locality as Damaraland, Namibia.

Interesting fact.