Trachylepis striata explained
The African striped skink (Trachylepis striata), commonly called the striped skink, is a species of lizard in the skink family (Scincidae). The species is widespread in East Africa and Southern Africa. It is not a close relation to the Australian striped skink, Ctenotus taeniolatus.
Description
T. striata is brown or bronze-coloured with two yellowish stripes that run lengthwise on either side of the spine. Both sexes grow to a total length (including tail) of 25cm (10inches).[1] Their tails are often missing due to predators.
Geographic range and subspecies
Former subspecies T. s. punctatissima, T. s. sparsa, and T. s. wahlbergii have been elevated to species level.[2]
External links
Further reading
- Boulenger GA (1887). Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume III. ... Scincidæ ... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 575 pp. + Plates I-XL. (Mabuia striata, pp. 204–205; Mabuia wahlbergii, pp. 205–206).
- Branch, Bill (2004). Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Third Revised edition, Second impression. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 399 pp. . (Mabuya striata, pp. 156–157 + Plate 54).
- Peters W (1844). "Über einege neue Fische und Amphibien aus Angola und Mozambique ". Bericht über die zur Bekanntmachung geeigneten Verhandlungen der Königlich Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin 1844: 32–37. (Tropidolepisma striatum, new species, pp. 36–37). (in German).
Notes and References
- Spawls S, Howell KM, Drewes RC (2006). Reptiles and Amphibians of East Africa. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press.
- Web site: Hallermann . Jakob . Uetz . Peter . Trachylepis striata (PETERS, 1844) . The Reptile Database . 8 January 2016.
