Vosmer's writhing skink (Riopa vosmaeri) is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to India.

Riopa vosmaerii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Scincidae
Genus: Riopa
Species:
R. vosmaeri
Binomial name
Riopa vosmaeri
(Gray, 1839)
Synonyms[2][3]

Etymology

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The specific name, vosmaeri, is in honor of Dutch naturalist Arnout Vosmaer (1720–1799).[4]

Geographic range and habitat

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R. vosmaerii is found in India.[1][3] Originally it was known only from the holotype. A second specimen was discovered in 2009 in an open scrub jungle in rocky habitat near Jaggayapet, Andhra Pradesh, some 170 years after the collection of the holotype.[1][5]

Description

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R. vosmaerii resembles L. lineata. However, L. vosmaerii has five digits on each front foot, where R. lineata has only four.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Srinivasulu C, Srinivasulu B (2013). "Lygosoma vosmaeri ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T194122A2301386. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T194122A2301386.en. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  2. ^ Gray JE (1839). "Catalogue of the Slender-tongued Saurians, with Descriptions of many new Genera and Species". Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., [First Series ] 2: 287-293, 331-337. (Hagria vosmaerii, new species, p. 333).
  3. ^ a b Lygosoma vosmaeri at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 25 January 2015.
  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. (Lygosoma vosmaeri, p. 276).
  5. ^ Seetharamaraju M, Sreekar R, Srinivasulu C, Srinivasulu B, Kaur H, Venkateshwarlu P (2009). "Rediscovery of Vosmer's Writhing Skink Lygosoma vosmaerii (Gray, 1839) (Reptilia: Scincidae) with a note on its taxonomy". Journal of Threatened Taxa. 1 (12): 624–626. doi:10.11609/JoTT.o2160.624-6.
  6. ^ Smith MA (1935).

Further reading

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  • Boulenger GA (1887). Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume III. Lacertidæ, Gerrhosauridæ, Scincidæ, Anelytropidæ, Dibamidæ, Chamæleontidæ. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 575 pp. + Plates I-XL. (Lygosoma vosmaeri, p. 315 + Plate XXV, figures 2, 2a, 2b).
  • Smith MA (1935). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. II.—Sauria. London: Secretary of State for India in Council. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 440 pp. + Plate I + 2 maps. (Riopa vosmaeri, p. 322).
  • Vyas, Raju (2002). "Notes on the distribution of Lygosoma lineata (Gray, 1839) and comments on the systematic status of L. vosmaerii (Gray, 1839)". Hamadryad 26 (2):360-361. [2001].
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