Ateuchosaurus

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Ateuchosaurus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia (paraphyletic)
(unranked) Sauria
Order: Squamata (paraphyletic)
Infraorder: Scincomorpha
Family: Scincidae
Subfamily: see text
Genus: Ateuchosaurus
Species

2, see text.

Ateuchosaurus is a genus of skinks (family Scincidae) containing only 2 species. It is usually placed in the subfamily Scincinae. This group seems to be paraphyletic however, and the present genus is apparently not closely related to most or all of them. Rather, it seems to be slightly closer to Acontias; it might either belong into the Acontinae or, as it seems to be quite distinct from Acontias too, into a not yet established novel and perhaps monotypic subfamily; more research is clearly required.(Austin & Arnold 2006)

Species

  • Ateuchosaurus chinensis
  • Ateuchosaurus pellopleurus

[edit] References

  • Austin, J.J. & Arnold, E.N. (2006): Using ancient and recent DNA to explore relationships of extinct and endangered Leiolopisma skinks (Reptilia: Scincidae) in the Mascarene islands. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 39(2): 503–511. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2005.12.011 (HTML abstract)


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