Riopa guentheri, commonly known as Günther's supple skink and Günther's writhing skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to India.[2]

Riopa guentheri
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Scincidae
Genus: Riopa
Species:
R. guentheri
Binomial name
Riopa guentheri
(W. Peters, 1879)[2]
Synonyms[2]
  • Eumeces punctatus
    Günther, 1864
    (nomen nudum)
  • Eumeces Güntheri
    W. Peters, 1879
    (nomen substitutum)
  • Lygosoma guentheri
    Boulenger, 1887
  • Riopa guentheri
    M.A. Smith, 1935
  • Lygosoma guentheri
    Das, 1996
  • Riopa guentheri
    Freitas et al., 2019

Etymology

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The specific name, guentheri, is in honor of German-born British herpetologist Albert Günther.[3]

Geographic range

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R. guentheri has been known to occur in localities of erstwhile Bombay Presidency such as Matheran, Sholapur, Kurduwadi, Belgaum, and Uttara Kannada.[2]

Habitat

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The preferred natural habitat of R. guentheri is forest, at altitudes of 50–1,800 m (160–5,910 ft).[1]

Diet

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R. guentheri preys upon ants, termites, and other insects.[1]

Reproduction

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The mode of reproduction of R. guentheri is unknown.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Srinivasulu C, Srinivasulu B (2013). "Lygosoma guentheri ". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013: e.T172624A1354299. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T172624A1354299.en. Downloaded on 02 April 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e Species Riopa guentheri at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
  3. ^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Lygosoma guentheri, pp. 110-111).

Further reading

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  • 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. (Lygosoma guentheri, pp. 311–312).
  • Boulenger GA (1890). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Batrachia. London: Secretary of State for India in Council. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xviii + 541 pp. (Lygosoma guentheri, pp. 209–210).
  • Günther ACLG (1864). The Reptiles of British India. London: The Ray Society. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xxvii + 452 pp. + Plates I-XXVI. (Eumeces punctatus, p. 93).
  • Peters W (1879). "Neue oder weniger bekannte Eidechsenarten aus der Familie der Scinci (Eumeces Güntheri, Euprepes notabilis, Ablepharus rutilus)". Sitzungs-Berichte der Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin 1879 (3): 35–37. ("Eumeces Güntheri ", new name, p. 36). (in German and Latin).
  • Smith MA (1935). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. II.—Sauria. London: Secretary of State for India in Council. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 440 pp. + Plate I + 2 maps. (Riopa guentheri, pp. 319–320).