View source for Ristella travancorica

{{Short description|Species of lizard}}
{{speciesbox
| image= Cat skink.jpg
| status = DD
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref =<ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Srinivasulu, C. |author2=Srinivasulu, B. |date=2013 |title=''Ristella travancorica'' |volume=2013 |page=e.T172584A1346609 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T172584A1346609.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref>
| genus = Ristella
| species = travancorica
| authority = ([[Richard Henry Beddome|Beddome]], 1870)
| synonyms = *''Ateuchosaurus travancoricus'' <small>Beddome, 1870</small> (part)
*''Ristella travancorica'' <br><small>&mdash; Beddome, 1871</small> (part)
*''Ristella travancorica'' <br><small>&mdash; [[George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger]], 1890</small>
*''Ristella travancoricus'' <small>&mdash; [[:fr:Indraneil Das|Das]], 1996</small> <ref name="Blgr1890">[[George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger GA]]. 1890. ''The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Batrachia.'' London: Secretary of State for India in Council. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xviii + 541 pp. (''Ristella travancorica'', p. 216).</ref><ref>The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.</ref>
}}
'''''Ristella travancorica''''', commonly known as the '''Travancore cat skink''' or the '''Travancore ristella''', is a [[species]] of [[skink]] [[Endemism|endemic]] to the [[Western Ghats]] in [[India]].
==Description==
[[File:Ahaetulla with Ristella.jpg|thumb|left|''[[Ahaetulla nasuta]]'' [[Predation|preying]] on ''Ristella''.]]
Ear-opening not or but slightly larger than the nostril; third to sixth [[Supralabial scale|upper labials]] below the eye. [[Dorsum (anatomy)|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 {{convert|1.5|in|cm|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Blgr1890"/>
==Geographic range==
''R. travancorica'' is found in India, in the [[Western Ghats]], in the [[Ponmudi|Ponmudi Hills]] (western [[Tamil Nadu]] state), and the [[Tirunelveli district|Tirunelveli Hills]] ([[Kerala]] state).
[[File:Cat skink head.jpg|thumb|Head of Travancore cat skink.]]<ref name="Das2002">[[:fr:Indraneil Das|Das I]]. 2002. ''A Photographic Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of India''. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 144 pp. {{ISBN|0-88359-056-5}}. (''Ristella travancoricus'', p. 113).</ref>
==Reproduction==
This species is [[Oviparity|oviparous]]. [[Egg (biology)|Egg]] laying coincides with the southwestern [[monsoon]]s. Adult females lay clutches of 2 eggs under dead leaves and rocks. Each egg measures {{convert|11|mm|in|abbr=on}} x {{convert|5|-|6|mm|in|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Das2002"/>
==Notes==
<references/>
==References==
* [[Richard Henry Beddome|Beddome RH]]. 1870. Descriptions of some new lizards from the Madras Presidency. ''Madras Monthly J. Med. Sci.'' '''1''': 30–35. (''Ateuchosaurus travancoricus'', p.&nbsp;33).
* [[George Albert Boulenger|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 &ndash; XL. (''Ristella travancorica'', p.&nbsp;358 + Plate XXIX, Figures 2, 2a).
* [[Malcolm Arthur Smith|Smith MA]]. 1935. ''The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. II.&mdash;Sauria.'' London: Secretary of State for India in Council. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 440 pp. + Plate I + 2 maps. (''Ristella travancorica'', pp.&nbsp;331–332).
{{Taxonbar|from=Q3007965}}
[[Category:Ristella]]
[[Category:Reptiles described in 1870]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Richard Henry Beddome]]
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