Global InformationSchistometopum thomense information
| Schistometopum thomense | |
|---|---|
| |
Conservation status
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 Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1] | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Gymnophiona |
| Clade: | Apoda |
| Family: | Dermophiidae |
| Genus: | Schistometopum |
| Species: | S. thomense
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| Binomial name | |
| Schistometopum thomense (Bocage, 1873)
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| |
| range | |
Schistometopum thomense is a species of amphibian in the family Dermophiidae, endemic to São Tomé and Ilhéu das Rolas.[1] It is found in most soils on São Tomé, from tropical moist lowland forests to coastal coconut plantations. It is absent only from the driest northern areas of the island.[1] It is typically around 30 cm (12 in) in length, and is often bright yellow.[2] The size of S. thomense can vary throughout São Tomé, however, and it is the only known caecilian to follow Bergmann's rule, which states that a decreasing temperature due to factors such as increasing altitude will cause an increase in the body size of endothermic vertebrate species. The island of São Tomé is a massive shield volcano, and it therefore has differing altitudes throughout the island, potentially resulting in the size diversity of S. thomense. [3] This species may be referred to as the São Tomé caecilian (with various spellings of the island's name), as the Agua Ize caecilian, or as the island caecilian,[4] or by the local name of cobra bobo.[5]
- ^ a b c IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2020). "Schistometopum thomense". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T59592A16958403. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T59592A16958403.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
- ^ Kingdon, Jonathan (1989). Island Africa: The Evolution of Africa's Rare Plants and Animals. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. pp. 39. ISBN 0-691-08560-9.
- ^ Measey, John; Van Dongen, Stefan (2006). "Bergmann's rule and the terrestrial caecilian Schistometopum thomense (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Caeciliidae)" (PDF). Evolutionary Ecology Research. 8: 1049–1059.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
amnhwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Species of the week: Cobra Bobo