Least Concern Reptiles

Southern Tree Agama

Acanthocercus atricollis

Southern Tree Agama is an insect-eating lizard found in African savannas and river valleys.

Scientific name	Acanthocercus atricollis
Swahili name	Kobe wa mti wa kusini
Conservation status	Least Concern
Class	Reptilia
Order	Squamata
Family	Agamidae
Size	Male: body length up to 30 cm, weight approximately 40-60 g; female: slightly smaller in length and somewhat lighter in weight.

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How to identify

Color variable, usually green or brown; males have distinct black markings on neck and head; dorsal scales are slender and elongated; tail is long with ring patterns; limbs are well-developed and adapted for climbing.

Habitat

Open woodland savanna, shrubs, tree-rich valleys, and forest edges.

Diet

Primarily insectivorous, feeding on ants, beetles, grasshoppers, and also preys on small invertebrates.

When it is active

Diurnal, active during the day, especially in the morning and evening.

Where it lives

Mainly distributed in southeastern Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa; commonly found in Kenya’s Maasai Mara region.