Trachylepis striata (Peters, 1844)

Kirchhof, Sebastian, Wasonga, Victor, Mazuch, Tomáš, Spawls, Stephen & Malonza, Patrick Kinyatta, 2023, An annotated checklist of the herpetofauna of the Sibiloi National Park in northern Kenya based on field surveys, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 324) 17 (1 / 2), pp. 1-18 : 9

Trachylepis striata (Peters, 1844)

Vouchers: NMK-379L/1–5 (field nos. SK16 1036, SK16 1041, SK16 1052, SK16 1069, SK16 1107)

Localities: AB (B, L), IL (B), KA (B), KF (G)

Remarks: A recent study found Trachylepis striata ( Fig. 4Q ) to be paraphyletic, with Ethiopian individuals being the sister group to Tanzanian individuals and T. mlanjensis (Loveridge, 1953) from Malawi ( Weinell et al. 2019). Kenyan specimens were not included in that study. Extensive molecular analyses of individuals covering the distribution ranges of these taxa will be necessary to resolve their respective status. For now, Trachylepis striata is considered a generalist skink, living in forest clearings, coastal thicket, moist and dry savanna, semi-desert, and urban areas ( Spawls et al. 2018).

The 14 individuals of a diurnal skink found during this study were assigned to T. striata sensu lato. All individuals were discovered on the ground, although this species has been referred to as arboreal ( Spawls et al. 2018). The majority of individuals were found under clumps of dead reeds along the lake shore. Average T b was 34.7 ± 0.4 °C (34.4–35 °C; N = 2) at T sub ranging from 34–40 °C and T a was 34 °C.

Figures

Fig. 4. Reptile species recorded during the surveys: (A) Crocodylus niloticus; (B) Agama lionotus; (C) Agama rueppelli; (D) Holodactylus africanus; (E) Hemidactylus angulatus; (F) Hemidactylus barbierii; (G) Hemidactylus lanzai; (H) Hemidactylus ruspolii; (I) Homopholis fasciata; (J) Lygodactylus somalicus; (K) Stenodactylus sthenodactylus; (L) Heliobolus spekii; (M) Latastia longicaudata; (N) Philochortus rudolfensis; (O) Chalcides bottegi; (P) Mochlus sundevallii; (Q) Trachylepis striata; (R) Varanus albigularis; (S) Eryx colubrinus; (T) Platyceps brevis; (U) Psammophis cf. tanganicus; (V) Psammophis punctulatus; (W) Rhamphiophis rostratus; (X) Naja pallida; (Y) Bitis arietans; and (Z) Echis pyramidum.