The fire skink (Mochlus fernandi or Riopa fernandi), also known commonly as Fernand's skink, the Togo fire skink, and the true fire skink, is a fairly large skink, a species of lizard in the familyScincidae. The species is known for its bright and vivid coloration. Native to tropical forests in West and Central Africa, the fire skink lives fifteen to twenty years. This species is a diurnal lizard that burrows and hides. It is relatively shy and reclusive, but may become tame in captivity.
The specific name, fernandi, refers to the island formerly known as Fernando Po,[3] which has been called Bioko since 1979. It is known in the Yoruba language, spoken in Western Africa, as Oloronto.[citation needed]
Taxonomyedit
Historically, the fire skink has been placed in several different genera and was until recently placed in Riopa together with several skinks from southeast Asia. While these are superficially similar to the African fire skink, they are closer to some other Asian skinks, resulting in their move to Mochlus. The fire skink is not closely related to other skinks and belongs to the genus Mochlus.[4] However, a review of the taxonomy of the fire skink did reveal that it, as traditionally defined, actually consists of three separate species. This essentially limits true M. fernandi to tropical West Africa and westernmost Central Africa, while population in Central and East Africa are M. hinkeli and M. striatus.[5]
Mochlus fernandi fernandi(Burton, 1836) – western Central Africa and Nigeria
Mochlus fernandi harlani(Hallowell, 1845) – West Africa
Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Mochlus.
Descriptionedit
The fire skink is a fairly large species of skink, reaching up to 37 cm (15 in) in total length (including tail).[2] The most notable aspect of the fire skink's appearance is its vivid, bright colors. Smooth, gold scales adorn the fire skink's back, while red and black bars set against a silver background line its sides. The fire skink does not display obvious sexual dimorphism, which makes it difficult to sex. Males are, in general, bulkier than females with a slightly flatter head and wider jaws.[6]
Reproductionedit
The fire skink is oviparous. An adult female will generally lay a clutch of five to nine eggs after mating. Fire skink eggs take forty to fifty days to hatch when incubated at a temperature of 85 °F (29 °C).[citation needed]
Dietedit
M. fernandi has a large appetite, and it is mainly insectivorous.[7] Insects such as crickets, and larvae such as mealworms, are used for feeding captive specimens.[6]
In captivityedit
The fire skink is kept as a pet. Many specimens available for sale are wild-caught, but captive-bred skinks are available. The fire skink requires a larger tank with plenty of horizontal space, as well as some vertical space for its occasional tendency to climb. A 40 gallon (150 liter) aquarium is suitable for one adult. The fire skink is not social and should be kept alone. [6] It also requires a loose substrate for burrowing. The environment should be moist and humid, with plenty of ground cover to create hiding places. One end of the tank should be warmed with a lamp for basking. Live insects are a proper diet, and some keepers provide an occasional pinkie mouse.[6]
Referencesedit
^ abcWagner, P.; Segniagbeto, G.; Rödel, M.-O. (2021). "Mochlus fernandi ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T13152763A13152770. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T13152763A13152770.en. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
^ abcMochlus fernandi at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 26 March 2022.
^Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN978-1-4214-0135-5. (Lygosoma fernandi, p. 89).
^Freitas, Elyse S.; Datta-Roy, Aniruddha; Karanth, Praveen; Grismer, L. Lee; Siler, Cameron D. (2019). "Multilocus phylogeny and a new classification for African, Asian and Indian supple and writhing skinks (Scincidae: Lygosominae)". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 186 (4): 1067–1096. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz001.
^ abWagner, P [in German]; Böhme, W [in German]; Pauwels, OSG [in French] & Schmitz, A [in French] (2009). "A review of the African red-flanked skinks of the Lygosoma fernandi (BURTON, 1836) species group (Squamata: Scincidae) and the role of climate change in their speciation". Zootaxa. 2050 (1): 1–30. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.2050.1.1.
^"African Fire Skink". Reptile Range. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
External linksedit
Photos and info. Biolib.cz
Further readingedit
Boulenger GA (1887). Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume III. ... Scincidæ ... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 575 pp. + Plates I-XL. (Lygosoma fernandi, pp. 304-305).
Burton E (1836). "A Saurian Reptile of the family Scincidæ and of the genus Tiliqua, Gray". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London1836: 62. (Tiliqua fernandi, new species). (in English and Latin).
Hallowell E (1845). "Description of New Species of African Reptiles". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia2: 169-172. (Plestiodon harlani, new species, p. 170).
May 18, 2024
fire, skink, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, february, 2013. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Fire skink news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2013 Learn how and when to remove this message The fire skink Mochlus fernandi or Riopa fernandi also known commonly as Fernand s skink the Togo fire skink and the true fire skink is a fairly large skink a species of lizard in the family Scincidae The species is known for its bright and vivid coloration Native to tropical forests in West and Central Africa the fire skink lives fifteen to twenty years This species is a diurnal lizard that burrows and hides It is relatively shy and reclusive but may become tame in captivity Fire skink Conservation status Least Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Reptilia Order Squamata Family Scincidae Genus Mochlus Species M f o R fernandi Binomial name Mochlus fernandi or Riopa fernandi Burton 1836 Synonyms 2 Tiliqua fernandi Burton 1836 Lygosoma fernandi Boulenger Lepidothyris fernandi Cope 1892 Lygosoma fernandi Bocage 1895 Riopa fernandi Loveridge 1936 Mochlus fernandi Mittleman 1952 Lepidothyris fernandi Wagner et al 2009 Mochlus fernandi Freitas et al 2019 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Taxonomy 3 Distribution 4 Subspecies 5 Description 6 Reproduction 7 Diet 8 In captivity 9 References 10 External links 11 Further readingEtymology editThe specific name fernandi refers to the island formerly known as Fernando Po 3 which has been called Bioko since 1979 It is known in the Yoruba language spoken in Western Africa as Oloronto citation needed Taxonomy editHistorically the fire skink has been placed in several different genera and was until recently placed in Riopa together with several skinks from southeast Asia While these are superficially similar to the African fire skink they are closer to some other Asian skinks resulting in their move to Mochlus The fire skink is not closely related to other skinks and belongs to the genus Mochlus 4 However a review of the taxonomy of the fire skink did reveal that it as traditionally defined actually consists of three separate species This essentially limits true M fernandi to tropical West Africa and westernmost Central Africa while population in Central and East Africa are M hinkeli and M striatus 5 Distribution editMochlus fernandi occurs in the humid forest zone of southern West and Central Africa from Guinea and Sierra Leone to Gabon 1 5 and the Democratic Republic of the Congo 1 Subspecies editTwo subspecies are recognized as being valid including the nominotypical subspecies 2 Mochlus fernandi fernandi Burton 1836 western Central Africa and Nigeria Mochlus fernandi harlani Hallowell 1845 West Africa Nota bene A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Mochlus Description editThe fire skink is a fairly large species of skink reaching up to 37 cm 15 in in total length including tail 2 The most notable aspect of the fire skink s appearance is its vivid bright colors Smooth gold scales adorn the fire skink s back while red and black bars set against a silver background line its sides The fire skink does not display obvious sexual dimorphism which makes it difficult to sex Males are in general bulkier than females with a slightly flatter head and wider jaws 6 Reproduction editThe fire skink is oviparous An adult female will generally lay a clutch of five to nine eggs after mating Fire skink eggs take forty to fifty days to hatch when incubated at a temperature of 85 F 29 C citation needed Diet editM fernandi has a large appetite and it is mainly insectivorous 7 Insects such as crickets and larvae such as mealworms are used for feeding captive specimens 6 In captivity editThe fire skink is kept as a pet Many specimens available for sale are wild caught but captive bred skinks are available The fire skink requires a larger tank with plenty of horizontal space as well as some vertical space for its occasional tendency to climb A 40 gallon 150 liter aquarium is suitable for one adult The fire skink is not social and should be kept alone 6 It also requires a loose substrate for burrowing The environment should be moist and humid with plenty of ground cover to create hiding places One end of the tank should be warmed with a lamp for basking Live insects are a proper diet and some keepers provide an occasional pinkie mouse 6 References edit a b c Wagner P Segniagbeto G Rodel M O 2021 Mochlus fernandi IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021 e T13152763A13152770 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2021 2 RLTS T13152763A13152770 en Retrieved 26 March 2022 a b c Mochlus fernandi at the Reptarium cz Reptile Database Accessed 26 March 2022 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 Lygosoma fernandi p 89 Freitas Elyse S Datta Roy Aniruddha Karanth Praveen Grismer L Lee Siler Cameron D 2019 Multilocus phylogeny and a new classification for African Asian and Indian supple and writhing skinks Scincidae Lygosominae Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 186 4 1067 1096 doi 10 1093 zoolinnean zlz001 a b Wagner P in German Bohme W in German Pauwels OSG in French amp Schmitz A in French 2009 A review of the African red flanked skinks of the Lygosoma fernandi BURTON 1836 species group Squamata Scincidae and the role of climate change in their speciation Zootaxa 2050 1 1 30 doi 10 11646 zootaxa 2050 1 1 a b c d The African fire skink Reptiles Magazine African Fire Skink Reptile Range Retrieved 9 August 2022 External links editPhotos and info Biolib czFurther reading editBoulenger GA 1887 Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum Natural History Second Edition Volume III Scincidae London Trustees of the British Museum Natural History Taylor and Francis printers xii 575 pp Plates I XL Lygosoma fernandi pp 304 305 Burton E 1836 A Saurian Reptile of the family Scincidae and of the genus Tiliqua Gray Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1836 62 Tiliqua fernandi new species in English and Latin Hallowell E 1845 Description of New Species of African Reptiles Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 2 169 172 Plestiodon harlani new species p 170 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fire skink amp oldid 1156199727, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
