Brief Description –

Eumecia anchietae, also known as Anchieta’s Snake Skink, Western Serpentiform Skink, or Lunda Western Snake Skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. It is found in eastern and southern Africa, specifically in Angola, southern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and the Republic of South Sudan. The type locality of the species is listed as Caconda, Angola. Eumecia anchietae is characterized by its long, serpentiform body and reduced limbs, which allow it to move efficiently through dense grass. Its’ unique body shape enables the snake-like skink to navigate through its environment with relative ease. The species was described by Bocage in 1872, and is named after the Portuguese explorer and naturalist José Alberto de Oliveira Anchieta. Three subspecies are recognized. These include E. a. anchietae, E. a. wittei, and E. a. orientalis. Eumecia anchietae is currently considered Data Deficient on the IUCN Red List and it is not listed on CITES. Although widespread the Western Snake Skink is found in grassland and savanna habitats, usually between 1000 and 2000m. Eumecia anchietae gives birth to live young and feeds on a wide range of invertebrates within its grassland ecosystem.