Acontias percivali

Acontias percivali
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Scincidae
Genus: Acontias
Species: A. percivali
Binomial name
Acontias percivali
Loveridge, 1935

Acontias percivali, also known as Percival's legless lizard, Tanzanian legless lizard, and Percival's lance skink, is a small, legless (snake-like) species of lizard in the family Scincidae, collectively known as "skinks".

Etymology

The specific name, percivali, is in honor of British naturalist Arthur Blayney Percival (1874–1940), who was a game warden in East Africa.[1]

Geographic range

The geographic range of A. percivali is limited to continental Africa and includes regions of Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.[2]

Habitat

Percival's lance skink inhabits savannas by burrowing just below the surface of the soil.

Subspecies

The three subspecies of A. percivali are:

A. p. occidentalis has been considered a full species by Lamb et al. (2010) and by Wagner et al. (2012).[3]

A. p. tasmani may be a subspecies of Acontias meleagris as seen after DNA sequencing tests.

Description

Percival's lance skink can be identified by its copper-brown back and gold underside. It is an insectivores that specializes in feeding on beetle larvae, earthworms, and other slow-moving invertebrates.

Reproduction

A. percivali is ovoviviparous and has one to five young at a time.

As pets

Although this animal is poorly understood, it is occasionally seen in pet shops. Most Acontias specimens in the pet trade are wild-collected. In captivity, they require a deep layer of sandy substrate and hollow hiding places on the surface. Captive breeding may be possible, but currently has not been accomplished commercially.

References

  1. Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Acontias percivali, pp. 202-203).
  2. "Acontias percivali ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  3. "Acontias occidentalis ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database-org.

Further reading

External links

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