Mochlus
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Mochlus is a genus of lizards in the subfamily Lygosominae of the family Scincidae (skinks). The genus is endemic to Africa.
Description
Skinks of the genus Mochlus are cylindrical in shape and robust. They get the common name "writhing skinks" from the side-to-side movement that they make when held in the hand.[1]
Diet
Skinks in the genus Mochlus feed on insects and millipedes.[1]
Species
The following 19 species are recognized as being valid.[2]
- Mochlus brevicaudis (Greer, Grandison & Barbault, 1985)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Mochlus fernandi (Burton, 1836)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – fire skink
- Mochlus grandisonianus Lanza & Carfi, 1966Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – Lanza's writhing skink
- Mochlus guineensis (W. Peters, 1879)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – Guinean forest skink
- Mochlus hinkeli Wagner, Böhme, Pauwels & Schmitz, 2009Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – Hinkel's red-sided skink, Hinkel's red-flanked skink
- Mochlus laeviceps (W. Peters, 1874) – common writhing skink
- Mochlus lanceolatus Broadley, 1990 – Broadley's writhing skink
- Mochlus mabuiiformis (Loveridge, 1935)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – Mabuya-like writhing skink
- Mochlus mafianus (Broadley, 1994)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – mafia writhing skink
- Mochlus mocquardi (Chabanaud, 1917)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – Mocquard's writhing skink[3]
- Mochlus paedocarinatus Lanza & Carfi, 1968Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – Lanza's writhing skink, Abyssinian writhing skink
- Mochlus pembanus Boettger, 1913 – Pemba Island writhing skink
- Mochlus productus (Boulenger, 1909)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – Boulenger's writhing skink
- Mochlus simonettai (Lanza, 1979)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – Simonetta's writhing skink
- Mochlus somalicus (Parker, 1942)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – Somali writhing skink
- Mochlus striatus (Hallowell, 1854)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Mochlus sundevallii (A. Smith, 1849)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – Sundevall's writhing skink
- Mochlus tanae (Loveridge, 1935)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – Loveridge's writhing skink, Tana River writhing skink
- Mochlus vinciguerrae (Parker, 1932)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – Vinciguerra's writhing skink
Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Mochlus.
References
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- ↑ a b Alexander, Graham; Marais, Johan (2008). A Guide to the Reptiles of Southern Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik Publishers. 408 pp. Template:ISBN. ("Writhing Skinks", pp. 247–248).
- ↑ Genus Mochlus at The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
- ↑ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. Template:ISBN. (Lygosoma mocquardi, p. 181).
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Further reading
Günther A (1864). "Report on a Collection of Reptiles and Fishes made by Dr. Kirk in the Zambesi and Nyassa Regions". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1864: 303–314. (Mochlus, new genus, p. 308). Template:Taxonbar