BIMODAL REPRODUCTIVE STRATEGY IN MABUYA CAPENSIS (Gray) (SQUAMATA: SCINCIDAE)

Abstract

Reproduction in the Cape skink (Mabuya capensis) was investigated from 488 museum specimens. Forty nine were gravid of which 21 were positively identified as being viviparous. Three specimens contained large “eggs” with thick opaque shells and were considered to represent oviparity, they came from Ohrigstad and the Pretoria area in the Transvaal. The presence of a bimodal reproductive strategy in a single species is very rare and requires further investigation