Trachylepis wahlbergii (Peters, 1869)

Conradie, Werner, Keates, Chad, Verburgt, Luke, Baptista, Ninda L., Harvey, James, Júlio, Timóteo & Neef, Götz, 2022, Contributions to the herpetofauna of the Angolan Okavango-Cuando-Zambezi River drainages. Part 2: Lizards (Sauria), chelonians, and crocodiles, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 322) 16 (2), pp. 181-214 : 205-206

Trachylepis wahlbergii (Peters, 1869)

Wahlberg’s Striped Skink ( Fig. 36 , Map 33)

Material (33 specimens): PEM R 23259, en route to Cuanavale River source, -12.63683° 18.65984°, 1,316 m asl; PEM R 23289–95, Cuanavale River source, -13.0933° 18.89396°, 1,356 m asl; PEM R 23339–41, Cuito River source lake, -12.68935° 18.36012°, 1,435 m asl; PEM R 23363–6, HALO Cuito, -12.39584° 16.96067°, 1,700 m asl; PEM R 23376, outlet of Cuito River source lake, -12.70453° 18.35445°, 1,429 m asl; PEM R 23393, Huambo HALO training camp, -12.73726° 15.81828°, 1,667 m asl; PEM R 23401, INBAC: WC-5181, Cubango River source site, -12.66051° 16.08998°, 1,777 m asl; PEM R 23412, Lungwebungu River camp bridge crossing, -12.58346° 18.66598°, 1,304 m asl; PEM R 23427, INBAC (2 x no number), Cuando River source, -13.00345° 19.12751°, 1,343 m asl; PEM R 23484– 5, INBAC: WC-4776, Cuando River source trap 4, -13.00164° 19.1296°, 1,372 m asl; PEM R 23513, Cuito River source lake, -12.68866° 18.36025°, 1,426 m asl; PEM R 23559, Munhango village, -12.16067° 18.55042°, 1,428 m asl; PEM R 27442, Quembo River bridge camp, -13.527455° 19.2806°, 1,241 m asl; PEM R 27443, INBAC (no number), Luio River camp floodplains, -13.197108° 20.221937°, 1,181 m asl; PEM R 27444, INBAC: WC-6919, Lake Hundo, trap 1, -14.99158° 21.63096°, 1,100 m asl. Description: Dorsal scales with 3–5 keels each; 38–42 (38) midbody scale rows; 51–63 (58) transverse ventral scale rows; 44–52 (49) transverse dorsal scale rows; 5–6 supralabials; 5–8 infralabials; 4–7 supraciliaries; 18–22 (19) subdigital lamellae under 4 th toe. Largest female: 88.2 + 105.0 mm ( PEM R 23364); largest male 86.0 + 104 mm ( PEM R 23485). Habitat and natural history notes: Specimens were mostly encountered running on sand and retreating to holes when approached. No specimens were encountered on trees. Comment: This species has a wide distribution in southern Africa ( Branch 1998; Pietersen et al. 2021) and Angola ( Marques et al. 2018). The taxonomy of the Trachylepis striata species complex, to which this species belongs, is still unresolved and requires further investigation ( Weinell et al. 2019; Stephens et al. 2021). Typhlacontias rohani Angel, 1923

Rohan’s Blind Legless Skink ( Fig. 37 , Map 34) Material (5 specimens): PEM R 23342, Cuito River source lake, -12.68935° 18.36012°, 1,435 m asl; PEM R 23497, Cuanavale River source lake, camp side, -13.09442° 18.89372°, 1,396 m asl; PEM R 24279, Cuando River, Camp 21, -14.94935° 20.34483°, 1,115 m asl; PEM R 27445, Cuanavale River source lake, -13.090523° 18.89394°, 1,357 m asl; PEM R 27446, en route from Cuando River to Cangamba. Description: Dorsal scales smooth; 18 midbody scale rows; 117–129 (123) transverse dorsal scale rows; 4 supralabials; 4 infralabials; 2 supraciliaries. Largest specimen: 76 + 39.8 mm ( PEM R 27445). Habitat and natural history notes: All specimens were found while raking through leaf litter in sandy soil. Comments: This fossorial legless skink is known from southeastern Angola, northeastern Namibia, western Zimbabwe, northern Botswana, and western Zambia ( Haacke 1997; Marques et al. 2018; Pietersen et al. 2021). Although described from southeastern Angola ( Angel 1923), very few records exist for the country ( Monard 1937; Conradie et al. 2016). These new records are the northernmost for Angola. Most of the genus is restricted to the western coastal regions of Namibia and Angola, with only two species occurring in the Kalahari Basin, i.e., T. rohani and T. gracillis . The former is widespread while the latter is restricted to western Zambia. The two species occur in sympatry at Kalabo in western Zambia ( Haacke 1997). Future studies should utilize an integrative systematic approach to elucidate the species boundaries and taxonomic structuring within the whole genus.

Figures

Fig. 36. Adult male Trachylepis wahlbergii from Cuito town. Photo by Werner Conradie.

Fig. 37. Adult unsexed Typhlacontias rohani (PEM R27445) from Cuanavale River source. Photo by Werner Conradie.