Leptosiaphos ianthinoxantha ( Böhme, 1975 )

Ineich, Ivan, LeBreton, Matthew, Lhermitte-Vallarino, Nathaly, Abstract. - The, Laurent Chirio, Oku, Mount & Highlands, Bamenda, 2015, The reptiles of the summits of Mont Oku and the Bamenda Highlands, Cameroon *, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 108) 9 (2), pp. 15-38 : 24

Leptosiaphos ianthinoxantha ( Böhme, 1975) (25 specimens)

Material: MNHN-RA 2002.0798, 2002.0800, 2002.0928- 0930, 2002.0934 (six specimens, Mbockghas , 6.222°N and 10.582°E, elev. 2,092 m, coll. CamHerp M. LeBreton, December 14, 2002) – MNHN-RA 2002.0942, 2005.2617-2620 (five specimens, Mbockghas , 6.222°N and 10.582°E, elev. 2,092 m, coll. CamHerp M. LeBreton and L. Chirio, December 14, 2002) – MNHN-RA 2005.2607 ( Bamboutos , Fulbe house, 5.637°N and 10.106°E, elev. 2,450 m, coll. CamHerp, May 5, 2001) – MNHN-RA 2005.2613-2616 (four specimens, Bamboutos , Mt. Mekua , 5.688°N and 10.095°E, elev. 2,700 m, coll. CamHerp, March 30, 2000, May 5, 2000 [.2615], and May 8, 2000 [.2616]) – MNHN-RA 2005.2621- 2627, 2005.2629 (eight specimens, Mt. Oku , Simonkuh , 6.234°N and 10.572°E, elev. 2,109 m, coll. CamHerp M. LeBreton, July 8, 2002, December 14, 2002 [.2625], and January 16, 2003 [.2622,.2626]) – MNHN-RA 2005.2628 (Bamboutos, slopes of Mt. Mekua, 5.698°N and 10.101°E, elev. 2,300 m, coll. CamHerp, March 19, 2002) .

This small skink is endemic to montane grasslands of the Western Highlands of Cameroon ( Schmitz et al. 2005) ( Fig. 16 ). It is found at Mt. Lefo (Forest Reserve of Bafut-Ngemba) and in the Bamboutos Mountains. Its occurrence at Mt. Oku had been suspected by Wild in 1994. It is a semi-burrowing species living in open montane grasslands, and is oviparous. The species occurs up to 2,700 m altitude at Mt. Mekua in the Bamboutos where its populations are highly localized but occur in high densities.

Figures

Fig. 16. Leptosiaphos ianthinoxantha. Cameroon, Mt. Oku, Oku Simonkou village. Picture: M. LeBreton, November 2002.