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Project Noah Nature School
Trachylepis margaritifer
I like the pupil on this lizard. It is a bit uneven. Perhaps that is common among lizards, I dont know much about them :) This one was quite big, 12-15 cm from head to tail.
It was spotted next to a stone house at the entrance/exit of Mlawula Nature reserve. Dry season
Female http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/326... (two weeks between the two spottings, dry season, 7 km between the places of the findings) Mabuya quinquetaeniata margaritifera, formerly a subspecies of Trachylepis quinquetaeniata (the Five-lined Mabuya, also known as the Rainbow Skink), was elevated to full species in 1998 and named Trachylepis margaritifera. (wikipedia)
S Frazier, your reseach helped a lot. Thanks for taking the time! Sometimes when you are stuck, a second opinion is all that is needed! I will update the spottings and add male and female to them as well.
Hello. I am not an expert on this species but your link looks identical AND my suggestion link (includes your link) answers your question about color variation I think. Note also that accounting for changes in naming, Trachylepis quinquetaeniata used to contain Trachylepis margaritifer as a subspecies. They are both known as "rainbow skink". "Mabuya quinquetaeniata margaritifera, formerly a subspecies of Trachylepis quinquetaeniata (the Five-lined Mabuya, also known as the Rainbow Skink), was elevated to full species in 1998 and named Trachylepis margaritifera." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trachylepis...
Spotted on Jul 27, 2013
Submitted on Jul 31, 2013
+1
