Acontias percivali


Acontias percivali, also known commonly as Percival's lance skink, Percival's legless lizard, or Tanzanian legless lizard, is a species of small, legless lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Africa.

Etymology

The specific name, percivali, is in honor of British naturalist Arthur Blayney Percival, who was a game warden in East Africa.

Geographic range

The geographic range of A. percivali is limited to continental Africa and includes regions of Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Democratic republic of Congo and Zimbabwe.

Habitat

Acontias percivali inhabits savannas by burrowing just below the surface of the soil.

Subspecies

The two subspecies of A. percivali are:
  • A. p. percivali
  • A. p. tasmani
A. p. tasmani may be a subspecies of Acontias meleagris as seen after DNA sequencing tests.

Description

Percival's lance skink can be identified by its copper-brown back and gold underside. It is an insectivores that specializes in feeding on beetle larvae, earthworms, and other slow-moving invertebrates.

Reproduction

A. percivali is ovoviviparous and has one to five young at a time.

As pets

Although this A. percivali is poorly understood, it is occasionally seen in pet shops. Most Acontias specimens in the pet trade are wild-collected. In captivity, they require a deep layer of sandy substrate and hollow hiding places on the surface. Captive breeding may be possible, but currently has not been accomplished commercially.