''Mochlus'' is a
genus of
skink
Skinks are lizards belonging to the family Scincidae, a family in the infraorder Scincomorpha. With more than 1,500 described species across 100 different taxonomic genera, the family Scincidae is one of the most diverse families of lizards. Ski ...
s, lizards in the
family Scincidae. 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.
Diet
Skinks in the genus ''Mochlus'' feed on insects and millipedes.
[Alexander, Graham; Marais, Johan (2008). ''A Guide to the Reptiles of Southern Africa''. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik Publishers. 408 pp. . ("Writhing Skinks", pp. 247-248).]
Species
The following 19
species are recognized as being valid.
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Mochlus brevicaudis
''Mochlus brevicaudis'' is a species of skink. It is found in Guinea, Ivory Coast, and Ghana, possibly extending into Togo. It is a semi-fossorial species inhabiting moist savanna
A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. gr ...
''
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Mochlus fernandi
The fire skink (''Mochlus fernandi''), also known as the true fire skink or Togo fire skink, is a fairly large skink, a species of lizard in the Family (biology), family Scincidae. The species is known for its bright and vivid coloration. Native ...
'' – fire skink
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Mochlus grandisonianus
''Mochlus grandisonianus'', also known as Lanza's writhing skink, is a species of skink. It is endemic to Somalia
Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal ...
'' – Lanza's writhing skink
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Mochlus guineensis
''Mochlus guineensis'', the Guinean forest skink, is a species of skink. It is found in southern West Africa and in Cameroon in the westernmost Central Africa, but possibly also further east. It occurs in savanna
A savanna or savannah is a ...
'' – Guinean forest skink
*''
Mochlus hinkeli
''Mochlus hinkeli'', also known as Hinkel's red-sided skink or Hinkel's red-flanked skink, is a species of skink. It is found in eastern Central Africa and East Africa, in the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, ...
'' –
Hinkel's red-sided skink, Hinkel's red-flanked skink
*''
Mochlus laeviceps
The common writhing skink (''Mochlus laeviceps'') is a species of skink found in Somalia and Ethiopia
Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Repu ...
''
(W. Peters, 1874) – common writhing skink
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Mochlus lanceolatus
''Mochlus lanceolatus'', also known as Broadley's writhing skink, is a species of skink. It is endemic to Mozambique and found in the Bazaruto Archipelago and the adjacent mainland (northern tip of the San Sebastian Peninsula). It inhabits dune ...
''
Broadley Broadley is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
*Alexander Meyrick Broadley (1847–1916), British historian, author, and barrister
*Denise Broadley (1913–2007), British artist
*Donald George Broadley (1932–2016), British herpet ...
, 1990 – Broadley's writhing skink
*''
Mochlus mabuiiformis
''Mochlus mabuiiformis'', also known as the Mabuya-like writhing skink or Mabuya-like skink, is a species of skink. This poorly known species is found in southern Somalia and north coastal Kenya
)
, national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu ...
'' – Mabuya-like writhing skink
*''
Mochlus mafianus
''Mochlus mafianus'', also known as the Mafia writhing skink, is a species of skink. It is found on Mafia and Kisuju Islands, off the coast of Tanzania
Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano w ...
'' – mafia writhing skink
*''
Mochlus mocquardi'' –
Mocquard's writhing skink
[Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Lygosoma mocquardi'', p. 181).]
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Mochlus paedocarinatus'' – Lanza's writhing skink, Abyssinian writhing skink
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Mochlus pembanus''
Boettger, 1913 –
Pemba Island writhing skink
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Mochlus productus'' – Boulenger's writhing skink
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Mochlus simonettai'' –
Simonetta's writhing skink
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Mochlus somalicus'' –
Somali writhing skink
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Mochlus striatus
''Mochlus striatus'' is a species of skink. It is endemic to Central Africa and found in Gabon, Cameroon, the Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic. It inhabits rainforest areas, swamps, and coastal forests.
''Mochlus striatus'' me ...
''
*''
Mochlus sundevallii'' –
Sundevall's writhing skink
*''
Mochlus tanae
''Mochlus tanae'', also known commonly as Loveridge's writhing skink or the Tana River writhing skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is native to East Africa.
Etymology
The specific name, ''tanae'' refers to the ...
'' – Loveridge's writhing skink, Tana River writhing skink
*''
Mochlus vinciguerrae'' –
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
Further reading
Günther A (1864). "Report on a Collection of Reptiles and Fishes made by Dr. Kirk in the Zambesi and Nyassa Regions". ''Proc. Zool. Soc. London'' 1864: 303–314. (''Mochlus'', new genus, p. 308).
Lizard genera
Taxa named by Albert Günther
{{Lygosominae-stub