Ristella guentheri, commonly known as Günther's ristella and Gunther's cat skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to India.
| Ristella guentheri | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Scincidae |
| Genus: | Ristella |
| Species: | R. guentheri
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| Binomial name | |
| Ristella guentheri Boulenger, 1887
| |
Etymology edit
The specific name, guentheri, is in honor of German-British herpetologist Albert Günther.[2]
Geographic range edit
R. guentheri is found in India, in Madurai district, Tenmalai, Travancore, and the Anaimalai Hills.[3]
The type locality is "Madura, Sirimallay Hills"[4] (= Sirumalai Hills, Madurai district).
Habitat edit
The preferred natural habitat of R. guentheri is forest, at altitudes of 1,000–1,800 m (3,300–5,900 ft).[1]
Description edit
R. guentheri may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 3.9 cm (1.5 in). It has 22 or 24 scales around the middle of the body. It is reddish brown dorsally, and whitish ventrally.[4]
Reproduction edit
References edit
- ^ a b Srinivasulu, C.; Srinivasulu, B. (2013). "Ristella guentheri ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T194123A2301527. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T194123A2301527.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
- ^ Beolens, Bo;Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Ristella guentheri, pp. 110-111).
- ^ a b Species Ristella guentheri at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
- ^ a b Boulenger GA (1887). Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume III. Lacertidæ, Gerrhosauridæ, Scincidæ, Anelytropsidæ, Dibamidæ, Chamaeleontidæ. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 575 pp. + Plates I- XL. (Ristella guentheri, new species, p. 358 + Plate XXIX, Figures 3, 3a).
Further reading edit
- Boulenger GA (1890). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Batrachia. London: Secretary of State for India in Council. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xviii + 541 pp. (Ristella guentheri, p. 216).
- Das I (1997). "Checklist of the Reptiles of India, with English common names". Hamadryad 22 (1): 32–45.
- Palot MJ (2015). "A checklist of reptiles of Kerala, India". Journal of Threatened Taxa 7 (13): 8010–8022.
- Smith MA (1935). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. II.—Sauria. London: Secretary of State for India in Council. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 440 pp. + Plate I + 2 maps. (Ristella guentheri, p. 332).
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