Girdled Lizards and their relatives. Natural History, Captive Care and Breeding by Jens Reissig.
 
The species Cordylids encompasses both the colorful, oviparous flat lizards (Platysaurus) and their sister group, the viviparous cordylines. It is the second group that this book focuses on.  Specifically, those species previously placed in the genera Cordylus and Pseudocordylus. Lizards of this group are mainly restricted to relatively small areas, but some have wider distributions that cross varied habitats. Some species are known only from their types, some from only several individuals, whereas others, including the Armadillo Lizard, Ouroborus cataphractus, and the Giant Dragon Lizard, Smaug giganteus, are among the most iconic lizards in Africa.  Despite intensive study by many researchers,  cordylines remain a rich subject for study as they provide to our knowledge of the evolution of body armor, viviparity, social behavior and a lot of other topics.

Jens Reissig has presented the most current date, along side a high number of wonderful photos to give us the first comprehensive summary of cordylines. This publication combination keys, images, maps and text. It should aid anyone in their identification of the cordyline species, and the book places these lizards into their broader historical, evolutionary, and biogeographic contexts. ]ens's enthusiasm for, and knowledge of the African herpetofauna have come about from his personal experiences in southern Africa, and a lifetime of working with reptiles. This volume reflects this, and will be utilized as both as a reliable reference, and with its many stunning photographs, an album documenting the diversity of one of Africa's most interesting reptile groups.