Ninurta coeruleopunctatus is a small, gracile lizard that occurs in the overlap of the summer and winter rainfall zone on the southern coast of South Africa. They are strikingly colored, with breeding males displaying orange or lime green throats. The eastern populations of this species are covered in beautiful enamel blue spots, which gives them their specific and common names. Our molecular analysis returns Ninurta as sister to Chamaesaura, a novel and unexpected result and one that will be investigated further during my thesis. The genus is named for the Akkadian god of the south winds and rain, referencing the sole species’ occurrence along the cool, moist south coast of South Africa.