Lavushi Manda Skink
( Schmitzi's legless skink )
- Acontias schmitzi
- IUCN Status: Least Concern
- Threat: harmless
- Venom/Toxin: none
- Trend: decreasing
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Reptilia
- Order: Squamata
- Family: Scincidae
- Genus: Acontias
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General Information
The lavushi manda skink or Schmitzi’s legless skink is endemic to Zambia. There is very little information available on this new species as only two occurrences were confirmed.
Description
A medium-sized limbless species of skink, with the eyes covered by more than one scale, no ear openings, clear scale covering the pineal foramen. It is distinguishable from all other species by the combination of the concealed eye, four chin shields bordering the mental, 14 scale rows at midbody, 173 ventral scales (from chin shield to cloaca), and a color pattern characterized by a dark dorsum and a pale ventrum.
Ecology & Behaviour
The lavushi manda skink or Schmitzi’s legless skink is a burrowing skink found in the deep sands in the Miombo woodland. It is a terrestrial species that stays on land.
Conservation
It is categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as, ” Least Concern “.
Distribtion & Habitat
It prefers dry savannah and sandy plains. Two species were recorded in the Kataba Reserve (15°23.015’S, 23°23.729’E), near Mongu, Western Province. It is endemic to Zambia.
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