The new species, Acontias mukwando sp. nov is closely related to A. percivali.
A new species of African legless skink of the genus Acontias was discovered in the Serra da Neve inselberg in south-western Angola. It is the fourth species of this genus that has been found in Angola. The other three include A. occidentalis, A. kgalagadi and A. jappi.
The researchers used molecular and morphological data to determine that the reptile was indeed a species new to science. They found that the new species, Acontias mukwando sp. nov is closely related to A. percivali (Percival’s legless lizard of Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe) as well as species within the A. occidentalis species complex.
Live photo of the juvenile paratype (MUHNAC/MB03-001524). Photo by Arthur Tiutenko.
Acontias mukwando has movable eyelids and no ear opening. It has a dark, almost brownish dorsal and cream colored flanks and centrum. The dark dorsal pigmentation fades at the mid dorsal region. The cream colored lateral coloration is found dorsally and creates an interrupted collar across the nape, the researchers wrote in their paper describing the new species. The holotype has a snout to vent length of 152mm with a total length of 172.2mm. This individual was found under a granite rock. Others were found foraging in leaf litter in the morning. The habitat in which these reptiles were found are dominated by miombo forests and the reptiles were found within the leaf litter from these trees.
Typical habitat of Acontias mukwando sp. nov. at Serra da Neve, Angola. Photo by Diogo Parrinha.
The name mukwando is in honor of the people who live in the Serra da Neve. The researchers were supported by the people of the Catchi villagers in the Serra da Neve. The researchers suggest Acontias mukwando be named “Serra da Neve lance-skink” (English) and Lagarto-lança-da-Serra (Portuguese)
The paper describing the new species, “A new species of African legless skink, genus Acontias Cuvier, 1816 “1817” (Squamata: Scincidae) from Serra da Neve inselberg, south-western Angola” can be read on the African Journal of Herpetology.
