''Chalcides thierryi'', commonly known as Thierry's cylindrical skink, is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of lizard in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Scincidae. The species is indigenous to
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Maurit ...
.
Etymology
The
specific name, ''thierryi'', is in honor of German military officer
Gaston Thierry
Gaston Thierry (born 17 July 1866 in Munich, † 16 September 1904 near Mubi (town), Mubi) was a German officer and civil servant in Togo and Cameroon.
Life
Thierry was the son of a tradesman. After attending the Gymnasium (Germany), Gymnasium, h ...
, who served in
Togo
Togo (), officially the Togolese Republic (french: République togolaise), is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, where its c ...
.
[Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Chalcides thierryi'', p. 264).]
Geographic range
''Chalcides thierryi'' is found in
Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north ...
,
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso (, ; , ff, 𞤄𞤵𞤪𞤳𞤭𞤲𞤢 𞤊𞤢𞤧𞤮, italic=no) is a landlocked country in West Africa with an area of , bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the ...
, northern
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
,
Mali
Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mali ...
,
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
,
Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...
, and Togo.
["''Chalcides thierryi'' ". The Reptile Database]
www.reptile-database.org.
Habitat
The preferred natural
habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
of ''C. thierryi'' is
savanna
A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to ...
.
Reproduction
''C. thierryi'' is
viviparous
Among animals, viviparity is development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. This is opposed to oviparity which is a reproductive mode in which females lay developing eggs that complete their development and hatch externally from the m ...
.
[
]
References
Further reading
* Greenbaum E (2005). "Systematics of West African skinks in the ''Chalcides thierryi'' group: Composition, distribution, and redescription of types". ''African Journal of Herpetology'' 54 (1): 17–29.
* Joger U, Lambert MRK (2002). "Inventory of amphibians and reptiles in SE Senegal, including the Niokola-Koba National Park, with observations of factors influencing diversity". ''Tropical Zoology'' 15 (2): 165–185. (''Chalcides thierryi'', new status as a species).
* Loveridge A (1936). "African Reptiles and Amphibians in the Field Museum of Natural History". ''Zoological Series, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago'' 22 (1): 1–122. (''Chalcides bottegi thierryi'', new status as a subspecies, p. 74).
* Tornier G (1901). "''Die Crocodile, Schildkröten und Eidechsen in Togo''". ''Archiv für Naturgeschichte'' 1901 (supplement): 65–88. (''Chalcides bottegi'' var. ''thierryi'', new variety, p. 87). (in German).
* Trape J-F, Trape S, Chirio L (2012). ''Lézards, crocodiles et tortues d'Afrique occidentale et du Sahara''. Paris: IRD Orstom. 503 pp. . (in French).
Chalcides
Skinks of Africa
Reptiles of West Africa
Reptiles described in 1901
Taxa named by Gustav Tornier
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