Travancore Ground Skink
Kaestlea travancorica
Silhouette: David Orr · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyScincidae (Skinks)
- GenusKaestlea
- SpeciesKaestlea travancorica (Travancore Ground Skink)
About the Travancore Ground Skink
Kaestlea travancorica, also known as the Travancore ground skink or Barbour's ground skink, is a species of skink endemic to southern Western Ghats. A medium-sized (3.8 cm), blue-tailed forest skink. Earlier placed in the genus Scincella, it is now included in the genus Kaestlea. It is diurnal and known to feed on insects on the forest floor.
Restricted to the Western Ghats, India. Mainly known from Travancore regions of Tamil Nadu and Kerala states. Studies conducted in Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve show that this species occurs mainly in high-altitude rain forest habitat at elevations between 1,000–1,700 m (3,300–5,600 ft) above sea level.
Ouboter, P.E. 1986 A revision of the genus Scincella (Reptilia: Sauria: Scincidae) of Asia, with some notes on its evolution. Zoologische Verhandelingen (Leiden) (No. 229) 1986: 1-66 PDF Smith, M.A. 1937 A review of the genus Lygosoma (Scincida Reptilia) and its allies. Rec. Ind. Mus. 39 (3): 213-234 Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Travancore Ground Skink in Eravikulam National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Eravikulam National Park
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eravikulam National Park | 🇮🇳 India |
More parks will be added in future updates.