Suborder Sauria Genus Kaestlea Phylum Chordata Order Scaled reptiles | Class Reptilia Family Scincidae Rank Species | |
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Similar Calotes grandisquamis, Barkudia melanosticta, Salea anamallayana, Lygosoma guentheri, Sphenomorphus dussumieri | ||
The Travancore ground skink (Kaestlea travancorica) is a species of skink endemic to southern Western Ghats.
Contents
Description
A medium-sized (3.8 cm), blue-tailed forest skink. Earlier placed in the genus Scincella, it is now included in the genus Kaestlea. It is diurnal and known to feed on insects on the forest floor.
Distribution
Restricted to the Western Ghats, India. Mainly known from Travancore regions of Tamil Nadu and Kerala states. Studies conducted in Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve show that this species occurs mainly in high-altitude rain forest habitat at elevations between 1,000 and 1,700 msl.
References
Kaestlea travancorica Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA