WESTERN THREE-STRIPED SKINK

Trachylepis occidentalis (Peters, 1867)

MATERIAL.— Pico Azevedo, 7 December 2013, 15º32ʹ2.4ʺS, 12º29ʹ31.1ʺE, 359 m (CAS 254931).

COMMENTS.— The species has been cited from 35 km south of the city of Namibe (Laurent 1964a) and from Curoca River (Bocage 1895). Three specimens in the Ditsong Natural National History Museum originate from the Rio Curoca mouth and from Namibe. In addition to our specimen from Pico Azevedo several individuals of the species were observed near Espinheira camp (specimens not collected). In Angola this skink takes refuge in holes it digs in the sand at the base of spiny shrubs of the genus Blepharis . It is widely distributed in western South Africa and much of central and western Namibia (Branch 1988).