Distribution
of Lygosoma guentheri (Peter,
1879) (Reptilia: Scincidae)
in Andhra Pradesh, India
S.M.
Maqsood Javed 1, M. Seetharamaraju 2, K. Thulsi Rao 3, Farida Tampal 4& C. Srinivasulu 5
1, 4 World
Wide Fund for Nature-India (WWF), APSO, 818, Castle Hills, Road No. 2, Near
NMDC, Vijayanagar Colony, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh 500057, India
2, 5 Wildlife
Biology Section, Department of Zoology, University College of Science, Osmania
University, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh 500057, India
3 Eco-Research
and Monitoring Laboratories, Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve,
Sundipenta, Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh 518102, India
Email: 1javedwwf2007@gmail.com
Date of publication (online): 26 April 2010
Date of publication (print): 26 April 2010
ISSN 0974-7907 (online) | 0974-7893 (print)
Editor: S. Bhupathy
Manuscript details:
Ms # o2092
Received 05 November 2008
Final received 24 February 2010
Finally accepted 26 March 2010
Citation: Javed, S.M.M., M. Seetharamaraju,
K.T. Rao, F. Tampal & C. Srinivasulu (2010). Distribution of Lygosoma guentheri (Peter,
1879) (Reptilia: Scincidae)
in Andhra Pradesh, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 2(4): 837-840.
Copyright: © S.M. Maqsood Javed, M.
Seetharamaraju, K. Thulsi Rao, Farida Tampal & C. Srinivasulu 2010. Creative Commons Attribution
3.0 Unported License. JoTTallows unrestricted use of this article in any medium for non-profit purposes,
reproduction and distribution by providing adequate credit to the authors and
the source of publication.
Acknowledgements: The authors are very much thankful to Sri Hitesh Malhotra, IFS, Prl. Chief
Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Sri Sunil Kumar,
IFS, Addl. Prl. Chief Conservator of Forest
(Wildlife), Sri A.K. Nayak, IFS, Conservator of
Forests and Field Director, Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve, Sri. R. Hampaiah,
Chairman, Dr. V.B. Ramana Murthy, Member Secretary,
Andhra Pradesh Biodiversity Board for their constant support and encouragement.
We are also grateful to Dr. Rajesh Gopal, IFS,
Inspector General of Forests, Ministry of Environment and Forests for funding
support and encouragements. SMMJ and FT expresses gratitude to Sri Anil Kumar
V. Epur, Chairman, WWF-AP State Committee, Hyderabad,
Sri Ravi Singh, Secretary General & CEO, WWF-India, New Delhi for constant
support and encouragement. CS acknowledges CSIR, New Delhi for funding; CS and
SRR thank the Head, Department of Zoology, OsmaniaUniversity, Hyderabad for encouragement and
facilities. We also thank Dr. Hemant V. Ghate, Modern College, Pune; Mr. Raju Vyas, Sayaji BaugZoo, Vadodara and Mr. R. Sreekar,
Biodiversity Research and Conservation Society, Secunderabadfor constructive suggestions and helping with references. Lastly, we would like
to thank Mr. P.S.M. Srinivas, Manager Corporate for
exploring new places and all the WWF-Staff of APSO, Hyderabad for their
constant support and timely suggestions.
For Images & Tables –
click here
Family Scincidae is the largest among
lizards, comprising more than 1300 species (Bauer 1998). Of the five subfamilies recognized, the
subfamily Lygosominae is the most speciosecontaining over 600 species in 45 genera (Griffith et al. 2000). The genus Lygosoma Gray, 1828 includes forms that are
terrestrial and semi-fossorial and belong to Mabuya group. In India,
the genus Lygosoma Gray, 1828 includes nine species,
of which Günther’s Supple Skink Lygosoma guentheri (Peter, 1879) was reported only
from the Western Ghats from Gujarat to Kerala (Smith 1935; Daniel 1962). Rao et al. (2005) reported its presence in the Eastern Ghats
based on a specimen collected in the central NallamalaiHills, Andhra Pradesh. Recently, Srinivasulu & Das (2008) recognized its presence in theNallamalai Hills. This paper provides information on the distribution, habits and
habitat of L. guentheri in Andhra Pradesh
One adult specimen (106mm) of L. guentheri was captured, examined and released
by SMMJ from the Bhimaram (18050’N &
79042’E), Adilabad District on 15 June
2007, around 1300hr. A juvenile (dead) specimen
(measurement not taken, as the specimen was shriveled) was collected on 12 June
2008, around 1400hr by MS from Gandhavaari Gudem (17001’N & 79014’E), Nalgonda District. On 07 May 2008, around 1645hr, this species was recorded by KTR near Isukagundem (15036’N & 78048’E)
in Gundla Brahmeswaram Metta (GBM) Wildlife Sanctuary, PrakashamDistrict. Only the specimen of Gandhavaari Gudem, Nalgonda District has been deposited in the Natural History
Museum, Osmania University (NHM.OU.REP.1-2008). Data on the morphometryof Bhimaram specimen is given in Table 1. Details of distribution have been provided in
Image 1.
Diagnosis: Lygosoma guentheri (Peter, 1879) is closely allied toLygosoma punctata Gmelin, 1799, but distinctly differs as follows (L. guentheri vs. L. punctata):
Distance between the axilla and groin measures three
to three-and-a-half times the length between snout to fore-limb (vs. distance between the axilla and groin measures two to two and three-quarter times
the length between snout to fore-limb); ear-opening is small without lobules (vs. ear-opening is half of the eye-opening with one or
two small lobules anteriorly); 24 to 26 scales round
the body and 87 to 100 scales on mid-dorsal region (vs. 24 to 28 scales round the body and
62 to 76 scales on mid-dorsal region); the ad-pressed limbs fail to meet by three to four times
of the length of the fore-limb (vs. ad-pressed limbs fail to meet by
twice the length of the fore-limb) (Boulenger 1890;
Smith 1935).
Description: Body is slender, elongate and depressed at the mid
dorsal region from the back of the head to the base of a tail (Image 2). Limbs are well developed with five fingers
and five toes. Snout obtuse, supranasals are entire and in contact with one another
behind the rostral. Lower eyelid possesses an
undivided semitransparent disc. Frontal
is about as long as the fronto-parietals and
inert-parietals together (Image 4). Ear
opening is small without projecting lobules. Fronto-nasal is little broader than long and
connected with frontal. Prefrontals are small, widely separated with one
another. Seven supra labials are
present, the fifth below the middle of the eye is longer than the adjacent
labials (Image 3). About 96 scales are
present down the middle of the dorsal side and 26 scales are present round the
middle of the body, dorsal scales are largest. The ad-pressed limbs fail to meet by three times of the length of the
fore-limb. Digits short with well developed nails; fourth toe is slightly
longer than the third and possessing 14 feebly keeled lamellae beneath. Tail is thick and slender at the base. This is a dark brown skink,
uniform plain without any markings or streaks. Dark basal spot is present in all the scales on the dorsal and lateral
side including tail. Ventral side
yellowish-white and only few scales possess black spot at the base. In the juveniles these spots are confluent
into longitudinal lines (Boulenger 1890; Smith 1935).
L. guentheri is a terrestrial, insectivorous
and diurnal in habit (Molur & Walker 1998). Most of the specimens were found under
tightly fixed stones in the habitats with thick ground vegetation (Image
6). During the survey at one of the
aforesaid locations a L. guentheri was observed feeding on the ants
of Camponotus genus (Image 7). L. guentheri is recorded from three locations
and found occupying variety of micro habitats close to water sources with
plenty of shade (Image 5) and humidity. The habitat at Bhimaram and Isukagundem location composes a pure Tectona grandis (teak) plantation near a seasonal
stream surrounded by a southern tropical dry deciduous to thorny
dry deciduous forests type and the ground floor was full of leaf litter and
condition of soil is sandy. While at Gandhavaari Gudem, a dead
juvenile specimen was found under a Tamarind tree very close to human
settlements.
L. guentheri was until recently considered
endemic to the Western Ghats; known locality records of this species are Ahemdabad, Ahawa, Pawagadh, Vansda, Vadodara, Gamdi and Sindhrot in Gujarat (Vyas 2006), Matheran, Sholapur, Kurduwadi andPune in Maharashtra (Smith 1935; Chopra 1964; Sharma
2002), Goa (Sharma 2002), Belgaum and Uttara Kannada
in Karnataka (Smith 1935; Sharma 2002; Ali et al. 2006), and also reported from
Kerala (Smith 1935; Sharma 2002). Further surveys are needed to confirm the occurrence of this species in
Kerala. The species seems to be more
widely distributed than currently known (Image 1).
References
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