Chalcides thierryi TORNIER, 1901
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Chalcides thierryi
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| Higher Taxa | Scincidae, Scincinae, Scincoidea, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Thierry's Cylindrical Skink |
| Synonym | Chalcides bottegi var. thierryi TORNIER 1901: 87 Chalcides bottegi thierryi — LOVERIDGE 1936: 74 Chalcides thierryi — JOGER & LAMBERT 2002 Chalcides thierryi — GREENBAUM et al. 2006 |
| Distribution | N Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso Type locality: Mangu and Jendi, Togoland. |
| Reproduction | ovovivparous |
| Types | Syntypes: ZMB 16607, Mangu [= Mango, Togo], collected Thierry; 16284, Jenti [=Yendi, Ghana], collected by Thierry. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Chalcides thierryi is a relatively large, pentadactyl species with extensively expanded vertebral scales, 20-22 scale rows at midbody, relatively long tail, and a dorsal ground colour of tan or brown with transverse rows of dark brown spots across the flanks, dorsum, and tail (usually with white borders on the tail). Chalcides thierryi is readily distinguished from its sub-Saharan conspecifics. Chalcides thierryi is distinguished from C. pulchellus by 20-22 scale rows at midbody (22-24 in C. pulchellus), 85-91 vertebrals (79-86 in C. pulchellus), 9-13 subdigital lamellae under Toe IV (13-17 in C. pulchellus), four phalanges in Toe IV (five in C. pulchellus), 41-44 presacral vertebrae (37-42 in C. pulchellus), a tan or brown ground colour (brown or bronze-brown in C. pulchellus), and brown spots that usually have white borders on the tail (brown spots that always lack white borders on the tail in C. pulchellus). Chalcides thierryi is distinguished from C. armitagei by pentadactyl limbs (tridactyl in C. armitagei), six supralabials (five in C. armitagei), six infralabials (four in C. armitagei), one postnasal (absent in C. armitagei), 85-91 ventrals (94-96 in C. armitagei), and 41-44 presacral vertebrae (50-51 in C. armitagei) (Caputo et al. 1995). Chalcides thierryi is distinguished from C. ocellatus and C. ragazzii by extensively expanded vertebrals (unexpanded or weakly expanded in C. ocellatus and C. ragazzii), uniform dorsal colour pattern (stripes in C. ocellatus and C. ragazzii), and lack of white ocelli (extensive white ocelli in C. ocellatus and C. ragazzii). Chalcides thierryi is distinguished from C. bottegi by a uniform dorsal colour pattern (stripes in C. bottegi) and lack of white ocelli (extensive white ocelli in C. bottegi). (Greenbaum 2005) |
| Comment | |
| Etymology | Named after Gaston Thierry (1866-1904), who judging by his name, should be French but was an Oberleutnant in the Imperial German Army. |
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