Mochlus sundevallii

Mochlus sundevallii
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Scincidae
Genus:	Mochlus
Species:	M. sundevallii
Binomial name
	Mochlus sundevallii; (A. Smith, 1849)
Synonyms
	Eumeces (Riopa) sundevallii ; A. Smith, 1849; Eumeces afer ; W. Peters, 1854; Lygosoma sundevalli ; — Calabresi, 1915; Riopa sundevalli ; — M.A. Smith, 1937; Mochlus sundevalli ; — Mittleman, 1952; Mochlus sundevallii ; — Freitas et al., 2019;

Mochlus sundevallii, also known commonly as Peters' eyelid skink, Peters' writhing skink, and Sundevall's writhing skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa.

Etymology

The specific name, sundevallii, is in honor of Swedish zoologist Carl Jakob Sundevall.^[4]

Geographic range

M. sundevallii is found in Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.^[1]^[2] The Reptile Database also lists Central African Republic, Sudan, and possibly South Sudan.^[2]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of M. sundevallii are shrubland, savanna, and forest, at altitudes from sea level to 2,000 m (6,600 ft).^[1]

Description

M. sundevallii usually has a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 6–8 cm (2.4–3.1 in), but may grow to almost 9 cm (3.5 in) SVL. Dorsally, it is grayish or light brown, with dark brown speckling. Ventrally, it is uniformly cream-colored, except for the underside of the tail, which may have speckling.^[5]

Reproduction

M. sundevallii is oviparous.^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Spawls S (2017) [amended version of 2010 assessment]. "Mochlus sundevallii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T178641A110249898. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Mochlus sundevallii at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 22 September 2019.
^ Boulenger GA (1885). 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 sundevallii, pp. 307–308).
^ 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. (Mochlus sundevallii, p. 258).
^ Branch, Bill (2004). Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Third Revised edition, Second impression. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 399 pp. ISBN 0-88359-042-5. (Lygosoma sundevallii, p. 150 + Plate 49).

[IUCN-1] Spawls S (2017) [amended version of 2010 assessment]. "Mochlus sundevallii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T178641A110249898. Retrieved 25 March 2022.

[RDB-2] Mochlus sundevallii at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 22 September 2019.

[3] Boulenger GA (1885). 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 sundevallii, pp. 307–308).

[4] 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. (Mochlus sundevallii, p. 258).

[5] Branch, Bill (2004). Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Third Revised edition, Second impression. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 399 pp. ISBN 0-88359-042-5. (Lygosoma sundevallii, p. 150 + Plate 49).

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