Kaestlea travancorica, also known as the Travancore ground skink or Barbour's ground skink, is a species of skink endemic to southern Western Ghats.
| Kaestlea travancorica | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Scincidae |
| Genus: | Kaestlea |
| Species: | K. travancorica
|
| Binomial name | |
| Kaestlea travancorica | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Mocoa travancorica Beddome,1870 | |
Description edit
A medium-sized (3.8 cm), blue-tailed forest skink.[3] Earlier placed in the genus Scincella, it is now included in the genus Kaestlea.[4] It is diurnal and known to feed on insects on the forest floor.
Distribution edit
Restricted to the Western Ghats, India. Mainly known from Travancore regions of Tamil Nadu and Kerala states. Studies conducted in Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve show that this species occurs mainly in high-altitude rain forest habitat[5] at elevations between 1,000–1,700 m (3,300–5,600 ft) above sea level.[1]
References edit
- ^ a b Das, I.; Srinivasulu, C.; Srinivasulu, B. (2011). "Kaestlea travancorica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T174134A7020778. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-1.RLTS.T174134A7020778.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ Beddome, R.H. (1870). "Descriptions of some new lizards from the Madras Presidency". Madras Monthly Journal of Medical Science. 1: 30–35.
- ^ Das, I. (2002). A Photographic Guide to Snakes and other reptiles of India. New Holland Publishers (UK).
- ^ Eremchenko, V.K. & Das, I. (2004). "Kaestlea: A new genus of scincid lizards (Scincidae: Lygosominae) from the Western Ghats, southwestern India". Hamadryad. 28 (1–2): 43–50.
- ^ Ishwar, N.M.; Chellam, R. & Kumar, A. (2001). "Distribution of forest floor reptiles in the rainforest of Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, South India". Current Science. 80 (3): 413–418.
Notes edit
- Ouboter, P.E. 1986 A revision of the genus Scincella (Reptilia: Sauria: Scincidae) of Asia, with some notes on its evolution. Zoologische Verhandelingen (Leiden) (No. 229) 1986: 1-66 PDF
- Smith,M.A. 1937 A review of the genus Lygosoma (Scincida Reptilia) and its allies. Rec. Ind. Mus. 39 (3): 213-234
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