Ablepharus kitaibelii

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Ablepharus kitaibelii

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Scincidae
Genus: Ablepharus
Species:
A. kitaibelii
Binomial name
Ablepharus kitaibelii
(
Bory de Saint-Vincent
, 1833)
Subspecies
  • A. k. kitaibelii (Bibron & Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1833)
  • A. k. fabichi Štěpánek, 1938
  • A. k. fitzingeri Mertens, 1952
  • A. k. stepaneki Fuhn, 1970
Synonyms[2]
  • Ablepharis [sic] kitaibelii
    Bibron & Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1833
  • Ablepharus kitaibelii
    A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1839

Ablepharus kitaibelii,

Southwestern Asia
.

Geographic range

A. kitaibelii is native to Greece (including the Aegean Islands), Romania, Bulgaria, the former Yugoslavia, Hungary, Albania, Slovakia, the Caucasus, Turkey, Syria, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt and possibly Iraq. The subspecies A. k. fitzingeri is known from Slovakia, Hungary, Greece and the island of Corfu. The subspecies A. k. stepaneki is known from Bulgaria and Romania. Also Macedonia

Description

A small, slender lizard, A. kitaibelii grows up to 15 cm (5.9 in) in total length (including tail). The skin is bronze-coloured, with dark sides. The eyelids are immovable, in contrast to many other skinks.

Habitat and behaviour

A. kitaibelii is a shy species, which lives under stones and leaves in dry places, such as south slopes, fields, and meadows. It is

active during twilight
, and hunts for insects and small snails. It is a typical ground dweller, and dislikes climbing.

Reproduction

A. kitabelii is oviparous.[2]

Taxonomy

Many former subspecies of Ablepharus kitaibelii have been promoted to categorization as species, such as Ablepharus rueppellii and Ablepharus budaki.

Etymology

The specific name, kitaibelii, is in honor of Hungarian botanist Paul Kitaibel.[3]

References

External links

Further reading