About Ablepharus rueppellii (Gray, 1839)
Ablepharus rueppellii, commonly known as Rüppell's snake-eyed skink, is a species of skink native to the Middle East. It was previously classified as a subspecies of Ablepharus kitaibelii, but is now recognized as a separate species. The group currently classified as A. rueppellii may actually consist of two distinct species. This skink occurs across northern and central Israel, Lebanon, western Jordan, and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. Its presence in Syria is unconfirmed. Across most of its confirmed range, the species is generally uncommon. It inhabits leaf litter in forested or shrubby areas; in Egypt, it typically occurs near oases. It is highly restricted to densely vegetated locales. In Israel, the species is common, and can even be found within cities. It is one of the few reptile species able to live in areas planted with Aleppo pine, which are very widespread across Israel.
