Biology:Typhlacontias brevipes

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Short description: Species of lizard

Typhlacontias brevipes
Typhlacontias brevipes.jpg
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Scincidae
Genus: Typhlacontias
Species:
T. brevipes
Binomial name
Typhlacontias brevipes
FitzSimons, 1938
Synonyms[2]
  • Fitzsimonsia brevipes (FitzSimons, 1938)

Typhlacontias brevipes, also known as FitzSimon's [sic] burrowing skink[3] or short blind dart skink,[2] is a species of skink endemic to the Namib Desert (Namibia).[2][3] It was described by Vivian FitzSimons in 1938.[2]

Etymology

The species name is derived from the Latin words brevis, -e = short and pes, pedis = foot.[2]

Description

These slender skinks have small eyes with no eyelids and no external ear openings.[3] The hindlimb rudiments are visible on either side of cloaca.[2] The body coloration varies from light buff to sulphur yellow. Vague stripes, formed by the scales, can occur along the back and upper flanks. The tail is blue-grey. They can reach a snout–vent length of 113 mm (4.4 in).[3]

Females are viviparous and give birth to up to three young.[3]

Ecology

Typhlacontias brevipes typically occur on the leeward side of dunes in the roots of grass tufts found in semi-stable sand. They are active at night and in the cooler hours of the day when they forage for small insects like ants, termites, antlions, and beetles.[3]

References

External links

Photographs available at:

Wikidata ☰ Q5127911 entry