Kingdom Animalia Class Reptilia Infraorder Scincomorpha Phylum Chordata Order Scaled reptiles | Subphylum Vertebrata Suborder Sauria Family Scincidae Rank Genus | |
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Ristella is a genus of skinks endemic to southern India, which are commonly known as cat skinks because of their retractile claws.
Contents
Description
Palatine and pterygoid bones in contact on the median line of the palate, which is toothless;palatine notch small, far behind, corresponding to the posterior notch of the tongue. Teeth conical. Eyelids well developed, scaly. Ear-opening distinct. Nostril pierced in a single nasal; no supranasals; prefrontals small or coalesced; frontoparietals and interparietal distinct. Limbs well developed, anterior with 4, posterior with 5 digits; claws completely retractile into a large compressed sheath formed of one large scale cleft beneath.
Geographic range
Found in the hill-tracts of southern India.
Key to species
Species
The following four species are recognized:
Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Ristella.