Fogo’s Mabuya, Fogo’s Skink (Chioninia fogoensis)

Species with a snout-vent length of 57-70.5 mm and a mean value of 60.5 mm. Dorsally rather dark compared to other species, with striking pale (golden) longitudinal lines, covered by irregular small bronze patches, and ventrally yellowish; the chin shows a dark grey blotch. Despite its scientific name, this species is endemic to Santo Antão (Cape Verde), but there has been much confusion about its taxonomy and real distribution in the islands. It generally lives in stone walls and under rocks, and is markedly diurnal, behaving more like a lizard than a skink. Apart from that, very little is known about its biology and ecology. This member of the family Scincidae is widely distributed in Santo Antão and is therefore not considered endangered.