Colour and distribution

Hi again,
I believe I read something about this, but Id like any input anyone has. Do different colours denote different origins for corucia? My two females are slightly different colours (one is brown with black markings and pale green stripes, the other is dark green with black markings), both with pale green eyes. I just picked up another recently which is green, but with very dark brown eyes. Would this indicate that they are from different regions?

Forgot to say, the new one is also quite a bit bigger than the others. Could this be an indicator too?

Jo! Check to see if you have a Corucia zebrata alfredschmidti!!! See Sherri and Brian's description under the Scientific Journal Forum at:

http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...ad.php?t=81000

Unusually large size and dark eyes are what make me suspect you should check!

C.z.a. is a recently (1997?) identified subspecies from the northern Solomon Islands. Few people even know there *is* a distinct subspecies, and from what I've seen they seem to represent only about 15% or so of the captive population. So if you have one you definitely want to find out!

-- Celeste

Hi Celeste,
Josh mentioned the same thing, and I did read the description, but he doesnt have some of the characteristics, for example lighter coloured band across the jaw etc. Im going to try and get a picture today, but he is very secretive in his quarantine cage and never comes out in the light so the pictures tend to be very blurry as theyre without flash in a low-lit room! but I will give it a shot. Im not too sure what to do if he is to be honest, there seem to be so few of them in the country that I would have my doubts of ever finding someone with another!

I managed to get some pics just now - having used the flash and zoomed in from a mile away, lol







Looking at that top pic, he does look to have a yellowy chin that I never noticed before. He doesnt have a turquoise colour though. What do you think?

Jo,

Given the VERY BLACK eyes, the yellow chin, the cream-colored rostral (nose) scale, and the precise 50-degree angled-stripes (plus your statement that he is much larger than your other skinks), I would say with a fairly high degree of certainty that that is a Cza!

I have e-mailed Sherri and Brian of the Leeway Corucia Research Center asking them to take a look and confirm, but turquoise head or no, I think you have one!

Now you have the problem (just like I do) of finding suitable mates for him...

I know there are some Cza's in Germany. I don't know where, but I know who would know. I don't know if that does you any good. Let me know and I'll track down the info.

Otherwise, what I've been doing is scouring the internet and emailing everyone I know who breeds Corucia sending them info on the subspecies and trying to find others. I've found two more individual males in private collections here in the U.S., plus one suspected female in a zoo in northern California. I am working with those folks now to confirm that one is a female, and arrange a breeding loan or trade.

Congratulations! (Or is it "condolences"?) ;-)

-- Celeste

Lol, thanks Celeste - I really dont know if it is congratulations or condolences! Ive become rather attached to him as he has a lovely personality compared to the girls, and really dont want to sell him on, but I dont know if I will ever be able to track down a female...if you do have the details for the people in Germany, could you let me know? I believe that reptiles can be brought between here and there with no restrictions providing they have the right paperwork, and there is a massive show there (Hamm) in 2 months. Bert at agamainternational.com gave me some details of another corucia breeder there as well, so I will email them to see what they have.

Many thanks for the information - I still dont know whether to be happy or not! How many Cza do you have yourself?

I have 3 confirmed and one suspected Cza (an elderly pair, their 1-year-old son, and a *really* ancient female). I also have one young female I think may be an intergrade (Cza father / Czz mother), and 12 Czz's. Cza's seem to represent about 15 or 20% of the captive population from what I've seen so far...

Bert was the one I was going to contact about the Cza's in Germany, so if you're in touch with him, you have all the info I would be able to get anyway.

-- Celeste