Wildlifeof India
Kaestlea travancorica
Skinks & Lacertids
Photo: (c) P Jeganathan, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY (May be cropped or resized)
Kaestlea travancorica
Basic stats
Diet
Insects on the forest floor
Habitat
High-altitude rainforest, 1,000–1,700m
Range
Southern Western Ghats: Travancore regions of Tamil Nadu and Kerala
Size
About 3.8cm
The Travancore ground skink, or Barbour's ground skink, is a medium-sized (3.8 cm), blue-tailed forest skink endemic to the southern Western Ghats. It was earlier placed in the genus Scincella and is now in Kaestlea. It is active by day and feeds on insects on the forest floor (Wikipedia, general species account).
It is mainly known from the Travancore region of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Studies in Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve show it occurs mainly in high-altitude rainforest between 1,000 and 1,700 m. The Reptile Database lists records up to 1,525 m in the Anaimalai and Palni hills.
Quick answers
- What does the Kaestlea travancorica eat?
- Insects on the forest floor
- What habitat does the Kaestlea travancorica live in?
- High-altitude rainforest, 1,000–1,700m
- Where is the Kaestlea travancorica found?
- Southern Western Ghats: Travancore regions of Tamil Nadu and Kerala
- How big is the Kaestlea travancorica?
- About 3.8cm