Scelotes inornatus – Durban Dwarf Burrowing Skink.

Scelotes inornatus.

Distribution: Endemic to South Africa and limited to the greater Durban area of KwaZulu-Natal, from the Durban beachfront (next to the old FitzSimons Snake Park) in the north to Scottburgh in the south, and as far inland as Woodlands/Montclair. The published localities (Broadley 1994) on the northern and southern banks of the Umgeni River (2931CC) are incorrect; no voucher specimens exist for these records and they probably represent Scelotes mossambicus. There are nevertheless several additional valid records of this species from that QDGC.

Durban Dwarf Burrowing Skink (Scelotes inornatus)

Durban Dwarf Burrowing Skink (Scelotes inornatus)

Durban Dwarf Burrowing Skink (Scelotes inornatus)

Development of roads, housing, industries and farmland cause habitat destruction and severe fragmentation for Scelotes inornatus (J. Marais unpublished data). Further fragmentation is projected.

Reference: Atlas And Red Data List Of The Reptiles Of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Edited by: A.Bauer, M. Burger, J. Marais, G.J. Alexander & M.S. de Villiers (eds) Suricata 1.