Trachylepis wahlbergi (Peters, 1869)

Conradie, Werner, Bills, Roger & Branch, William R., 2016, The herpetofauna of the Cubango, Cuito, and lower Cuando river catchments of south-eastern Angola, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 126) 10 (2), pp. 6-36 : 26

Trachylepis wahlbergi (Peters, 1869)

Wahlberg’s Skink

Material: PEM R 20520‒1 (43).

Comment: The Trachylepis striata complex is widespread in southern and eastern Africa, but relationships and taxonomic status of the various subspecies of T. striata , elevated to specific status by Broadley (2000), remain problematic. Subsequently, Castiglia et al. (2006) showed that T. striata and T. wahlbergii share the same karyotype and no significant differentiation in 16S mtDNA gene. They argued that this did not support Broadley’s (2000) action in treating both taxa as distinct species. We retain the current taxonomic arrangement but note that fuller studies on the T. striata complex are required. First recorded from southeast Angola from near Mavinga (Branch and McCarthy 1992), but also known from numerous other localities in south-west Angola.