A new species of African legless skink, genus Acontias Cuvier, 1816 1817 (Squamata: Scincidae) from Serra da Neve inselberg, south-western Angola

During a recent survey of the Serra da Neve inselberg in south-western Angola, a population of legless skinks of the genus Acontias was found. Only three species of this genus have been recorded for the country so far - A. occidentalis, A. kgalagadi and A. jappi. Using an integrative approach and combining molecular and morphological data we found that the Serra da Neve population represents a new species, closely related to species such as A. percivali and some members of the A. occidentalis species complex. In this paper, we describe this population as a new species, Acontias mukwando sp. nov. and provide brief comments on its conservation and biogeography.

Automated summary

A new species of legless skink, Acontias mukwando sp. nov., was discovered in the Serra da Neve inselberg in southwestern Angola. Molecular and morphological data analysis revealed its close relation to other species, leading to its classification as a separate species.