Acontias plumbeus explained

Acontias plumbeus, the giant legless skink or giant lance skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. It is found in South Africa, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.

Acontias plumbei live in seasonally dry savanna, woodland humus, and forest floor leaf litter throughout South Africa ranging from Eastern Cape to Zimbabwe.^[1]

It was previously believed that acontias plumbeus had no genetic variation and existed as a monotypic species, however the genetic structure analysis has revealed that acontias poecilus are morphological variations of acontias plumbeus. Its morphological variation now appends species of different colors including uniform light brown, dark brown, black, and intermediate gray.^[2]

Notes and References

1. Zhao . Zhongning . Verdú-Ricoy . Joaquín . Mohlakoana . Setjhaba . Jordaan . Adriaan . Conradie . Werner . Heideman . Neil . 27 January 2019 . Unexpected phylogenetic relationships within the world's largest limbless skink species (Acontias plumbeus) highlight the need for a review of the taxonomic status of Acontias poecilus . Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research . en . 57 . 2 . 445–460 . 10.1111/jzs.12263 . 0947-5745. free .
2. Zhao . Zhongning . Verdú-Ricoy . Joaquín . Mohlakoana . Setjhaba . Jordaan . Adriaan . Conradie . Werner . Heideman . Neil . 27 January 2019 . Unexpected phylogenetic relationships within the world's largest limbless skink species (Acontias plumbeus) highlight the need for a review of the taxonomic status of Acontias poecilus . Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research . en . 57 . 2 . 445–460 . 10.1111/jzs.12263 . 0947-5745. free .