Acontias jappi (BROADLEY, 1968)
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Acontias jappi
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| Higher Taxa | Scincidae, Acontiinae (Acontidae), Scincoidea, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Japp’s Burrowing Skink |
| Synonym | Typhlosaurus lineatus jappi BROADLEY 1968 Typhlosaurus jappi — SCHNEIDER & BAUER 2009 Acontias jappi — LAMB et al. 2010 Acontias jappi — PIETERSEN et al. 2021 Acontias jappi — ZHAO et al. 2023 |
| Distribution | W Zambia, E Angola (Gago Coutinho District Type locality: Kalabo, Barotseland, Zambia |
| Reproduction | ovovivparous |
| Types | Holotype: NMZB, previously UM.6757 |
| Diagnosis | |
| Comment | Typhlosaurus lineatus jappi was distinguished from the allopatrically distributed nominate form of the species on the basis of fewer well-defined dark longitudinal stripes (2 versus as many as 8, but with only 2-4 distinct), fewer subcaudal scales (22-27 versus 26-35), three chin shields bordering the mental (versus typically 4), and a slightly larger (maximum SVL 188 mm versus 160 mm) and more robust body. However, there is overlap in all of the characters. T. jappi has a relatively more elongate ocular scale (approximately twice as long as high) than T. linea/us, in which the ocular is scarcely larger than the underlying eye (Fig. 1 in SCHNEIDER & BAUER 2009). It also has an increased number of marginal teeth: 7 maxillary and 10 dentary teeth (n =5) versus 5 and 8 (n =6). Further, it is the only species of Typhtosaurus with more than 7 dentary teeth. Finally, litter size also differs. Four embryos were located in the single gravid female T. jappi examined (Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe, NMZB 10116), whereas T. lineatus lineatus have 1-3 offspring, with a mean litter size of 1.6. Burrowing, confined to the sandveld. Limb morphology: Limbless. |
| Etymology | Named after Latin “linea”, meaning stripe or line. |
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