SANBI

Rationale (Changed due to Same category but change in criteria)

This recently described species is known from only a few known specimens, most of which were collected during the course of the South African Reptile Conservation Atlas project (Bates et al. 2014). There is incomplete knowledge of distribution, habitat requirements, population size, population structure and threats. Most localities at which Scelotes montispectus has been found are in protected areas. However, the extent of occurrence (EOO) is small (= 4,143 km²) and there is heavy habitat modification with this area. It seems most appropriate at this time to consider the species as Near Threatened (almost qualifies as threatened under criterion B1ab(iii)).

Distribution

Endemic to the Western Cape, South Africa, where it is known from Bloubergstrand, Blaauwberg Conservation Area, Koeberg Nature Reserve, Mamre Nature Reserve, Melkbosstrand, West Coast National Park, Langebaan and Tweekuilen (Bates et al. 2014).

Habitat View more ecological information

Population trend

Trend

No information currently available on trends, but the population is considered to be stable and not severely fragmented.

Threats

There is significant habitat alteration from urbanization and agriculture in the general area, and this is assumed to be a substantial threat to this species.

Uses and trade

No utilization or trade known.

Conservation

The range coincides with some protected areas. Conduct surveys to better understand the distribution of this species, especially in terms of habitat quality changes in the coastal region.

References

[@electronic{181632,
 address = {www.iucnredlist.org},
 author = {IUCN},
 title = {The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2018-2},
 year = {2018}
}
,@book{612,
 address = {Pretoria},
 author = {Bates, M.F., Branch, W.R., Bauer, A.M., Burger, M., Marais, J., Alexander, G.J. and de Villiers, M.S.},
 publisher = {Suricata 1. South African National Biodiversity Institute},
 title = {Atlas and Red List of the Reptiles of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland},
 year = {2014}
}
,@article{19954,
 author = {Bauer, A.M., Whiting, A.S. and Sadlier, R.A.},
 journal = {Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences},
 number = {13},
 pages = {231--237},
 title = {A new species of <i>Scelotes</i> from near Cape Town, Western Cape Province, South Africa},
 volume = {54},
 year = {2003}
}
,@article{19954,
 author = {Heideman, N.J., Mulcahy, D.G., Sites, J.W., Hendricks, M.G. and Daniels, S.R. },
 journal = {Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution},
 pages = {823--833},
 title = {Cryptic diversity and morphological convergence in threatened species of fossorial skinks in the genus <i>Scelotes</i> (Squamata: Scincidae) from the Western Cape Coast of South Africa: Implications for species boundaries, digit reduction and conservation},
 volume = {61},
 year = {2011}
}
,]

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Red List of South African Species