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Gastropholis vittata FISCHER, 1886

IUCN Red List - Gastropholis vittata - Least Concern, LC
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Higher TaxaLacertidae, Eremiadinae, Sauria, Lacertoidea, Squamata (lizards)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Keelbelly Ground Lizard 
SynonymGastropholis vittata FISCHER 1886: 51
Gastropholis lutzei TORNIER 1900: 591 (fide BROADLEY & HOWELL 1991)
Gastropholis vittata — LOVERIDGE 1923
Gastropholis vittata — LOVERIDGE 1957: 7
Gastropholis vittata — ARNOLD 1989: 545
Gastropholis vittata — BROADLEY & HOWELL 1991: 17
Gastropholis vittata — SPAWLS et al. 2002: 162
Gastropholis vittata — SPAWLS et al 2018: 187 
DistributionCoastal regions of Tanzania and N Mozambique (probably not on Zanzibar Island), Kenya

Type locality: Zanzibar (probably the mainland opposite, fide LOVERIDGE 1957)
Type locality: Tanga, Tanzania [lutzei]  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesType: BMNH 1946.8.4.91-92 (and possibly additional specimens). 
DiagnosisDiagnosis: for a table with diagnostic characters of G. vittata and G. prasina see Arnold 1989: 527. 
CommentReports from Kenya are based on a single specimen (SPAWLS & ROTICH 1997)

Type species: Gastropholis vittata FISCHER 1886: 51 is the type species of the genus Gastropholis FISCHER 1886.

Key: Arnold 1989 presents a key to the lacertids of equatorial Africa, including the genera Holaspis, Gastropholis, and Adolfus.

Reference images: see Uetz et al. 2024 for high-resolution reference images for this species. 
EtymologyNamed after Latin “vittatus” for ribbon, or decorated by a ribbon, referring to the dorsal stripe in the species.

The genus was named after Greek gaster (γαστήρ), belly + Greek pholis (φολίς), scale. [“…Bauchschilder gross, in Längs- und Querreihen geordnet, jedes mit deutlichem Längskiel…“]. 
References
  • Arnold, E.N. 1989. Systematics and adaptive radiation of Equatorial African lizards assigned to the genera Adolfus, Bedriagaia, Gastropholis, Holaspis and Lacerta (Reptilia: Lacertidae) Journal of Natural History 23: 525-555 - get paper here
  • Broadley, D. G. & HOWELL, K. M. 1991. A check list of the reptiles of Tanzania, with synoptic keys. Syntarsus 1: 1—70
  • Fischer, J. G. 1886. Herpetologische Notizen. Abh. Geb. Naturw. Hamb. 9: 51-67 (1-19) - get paper here
  • Loveridge, A. 1920. Notes on East African lizards collected 1915-1919, with description of a new genus and species of skink and new subspecies of gecko. Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1920: 131-167 - get paper here
  • Loveridge, A. 1923. Notes on East African lizards collected 1920-1923 with the description of two new races of Agama lionotus Blgr. Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1923: 935-969 - get paper here
  • Loveridge, A. 1957. On a third collection of reptiles taken in Tanganyika by C.J.P. Ionides, Esq. Tanganyika Notes and Records 43: 1-19
  • Malonza, Patrick K.; David M. Mulwa, Joash O. Nyamache, Georgina Jones 2017. Biogeography of the Shimba Hills ecosystem herpetofauna in Kenya. Zoological Research 38(5): 1-11 - get paper here
  • Spawls, S. & Rotich, D. 1997. An annotated checklist of the lizards of Kenya. J. East African Nat. Hist. 86: 61-83
  • Spawls, S.; Howell, K.; Drewes, R.C. & Ashe, J. 2002. A field guide to the reptiles of East Africa. Academic Press, 543 pp. [reviews in HR 34: 396 and Afr. J. Herp. 51; 147] - get paper here
  • Spawls, Steve; Kim Howell, Harald Hinkel, Michele Menegon 2018. Field Guide to East African Reptiles. Bloomsbury, 624 pp. - get paper here
  • Tornier, G. 1900. Neue Liste der Crocodile, Schildkröten und Eidechsen Deutsch-Ost-Afrikas. Zool. Jahrb. Syst. 13: 579-618 - get paper here
  • Uetz, P.H.; Patel, M.; Gbadamosi, Z.; Nguyen, A.; Shoope, S. 2024. A Reference Database of Reptile Images. Taxonomy 4: 723–732 - get paper here
 
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