Ristella travancorica

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iTravancore Ristella

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Sauria
Family:	Scincidae
Genus:	Ristella
Species:	R. travancorica

Binomial name

Ristella travancorica
(Beddome, 1870)

Travancore Ristella (Ristella travancorica) is a species of skink. It is also called the Travancore Cat Skink.

The following description is taken from Boulenger's Fauna of British India, Reptilia and Batrachia volume.

1 Characteristics of the genus Ristella
2 Synopsis of species
3 Distribution
4 External links
5 References

[edit] Characteristics of the genus Ristella

Palatine and pterygoid bones in contact on the median line of the palate, which is toothless;palatine notch small, far behind , corresponding to the posterior notch of the tongue. Teech conical. Eyelinds well developed, scaly. Ear-opening distinct. Nostril pierced in a single nasal; no supranasals; prefrontals small or coalesced; frontoparietals and interparietal distinct. Limbs well developed, anterior with 4, posterior with 5 digits; claws completely retractile into a large compressed sheath formed of one large scale cleft beneath. Found in the hill-tracts of southern India.

[edit] Synopsis of species

A. A pair of small prefrontals; frontonasal forming a suture with frontal
- a. Ear-opening much larger than nostril; dorsal scales feebly bi- or tricarinate
  - R. rurkii
B. Two azygous shields between rostral and frontal
- a. 22 to 24 scales round middle of body; adpressed limbs not meeting
  - R. guentheri
- b 26 scales round body; adpressed limbs meeting or overlapping
  - R. beddomii

Ear-opening not or but slightly larger than the nostril; third to sixth upper labials below the eye. Dorsal scales sharply bicarinate; 24, rarely 26 scales round the middle of the body. Otherwise as in R. rurkii. Reddish brown above, each dorsal scale usually with a dark brown dot; usually a rather indistinct darker lateral band; lower surfaces uniform whitish. From snout to vent 1.5 inches.