Notes and comments on the distribution of two endemic Lygosoma skinks (Squamata: Scincidae: Lygosominae) from India

Abstract

The family Scincidae is the largest group among lizards, comprising more than 1558 species (Uetz & Hosek 2014). Of the seven subfamilies recognized, the subfamily Lygosominae contains over 52 species in five genera (Uetz & Hosek 2014). The genus Lygosoma Hardwicke & Gray, 1827 has a long and complicated nomenclatural history (see Geissler et al. 2011). In India, the genus Lygosoma is represented by nine species, of which five are endemic (Datta-Roy et al. 2014), including Günther's Supple Skink Lygosoma guentheri (Peters, 1879) and the Lined Supple Skink Lygosoma lineata (Gray, 1839). These are less studied, terrestrial, insectivorous and diurnal supple-skinks (Molur & Walker 1998). Both these species are found in peninsular India and are classified 'Least Concern' species by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Srinivasulu & Srinivasulu 2013a, b).Reserved forest and degraded areas of the northern ends of the Western Ghats, especially the border areas of Vyara and Dangs districts (Gujarat) and Nasik District (Maharashtra) were explored during 2012 and 2013, and a small number of specimens of supple-skinks studied. Two fresh skink specimens of L. lineata and L. guentheri were collected from the outskirts of Vadodara

Herpetofauna of Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat, India

“…DP found another individual in Surat in 2012. These rarely seen small lizards (maximum recorded length = 255 mm, of which ~60% is tail; Vyas 2014) with elongated snake-like bodies inhabit scrubland, agricultural areas, urban gardens, and forests, where they burrow in loose soil and under large boulders (Vyas 2014).…”