Skink

Skinks are the most diverse group of lizards. They make up the family Scincidae which shares the superfamily or infraorder Scincomorpha with several other lizard families, including Lacertidae (the "true" or wall lizards). Scincidae is the largest of the lizard families with about 1200 species.

Contents 1 Description 2 Diet 3 Habitat 4 Breeding 5 Predators 6 Genera 7 Gallery 8 References 9 External links

Description

Skinks look roughly like true lizards, but most species have no pronounced neck and sport relatively small legs. Several genera (e.g., Typhlosaurus) have no limbs at all, others, such as Neoseps, have only reduced limbs. Often, their way of moving resembles that of snakes more than that of other lizards. The longer the digits, the more arboreal the species is. A biological ratio exists that can determine the ecological niche of a given skink species. The SENI (Scincidae Ecological Niche Index) is a ratio based on anterior foot length at the junction of the ulna/radius-carpal bones to the longest digit divided by the snout-to-vent length (SVL).^[1]

Skinks usually have long, tapering tails that can be shed and regenerated.

Most skink are medium sized with a length from the snout to the vent of up to 12 cm (4.7 in), although there are a few that grow to larger sizes, such as the Corucia, which can reach 35 cm (13.8") from snout-to-vent.

Diet

Skinks are generally carnivorous and largely eat insects, including crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars. They also eat earthworms, snails, slugs, isopods, other lizards, and small rodents. Some species, particularly those favored as home pets, have a more varied diet and can be maintained on a regimen of roughly 60% vegetables/leaves/fruit and 40% meat (Insects and Rodents).^[2]

Habitat

Skinks are found in a variety of habitats worldwide, ranging from deserts to grasslands. Some species are endangered, such as the Chevron Skink in New Zealand, with less than 100 reports since first being identified in 1906.

Many species are good burrowers. There are more terrestrial or fossorial (burying) species than arboreal (tree-climbing) or aquatic species. Some are "sand swimmers", especially the desert species, such as the mole skink in Florida. Most skinks are diurnal (day-active) and typically bask on rocks or logs during the day.

Breeding

Approximately 45% of skink species are viviparous. Many are ovoviviparous (hatching eggs internally and giving birth to live offspring). Some, such as the Genus: Tiliqua and Corucia, give birth to live young through a mammal-like placenta attached to the female - viviparous matrotrophy. The approximately 55% of skink species are oviparous (egg-laying) give birth in small clutches.

Predators

Raccoons, foxes, possums, snakes, coatis, crows, cats, dogs, herons and hawks all are predators of skinks.

Genera

Many large genera, Mabuya for example, are still insufficiently studied, and systematics is at times controversial, see for example the taxonomy of the Western Skink, Eumeces skiltonianus.

Ablepharus Acontias Acontophiops Adrasteia Afroablepharus Allengreers Amphiglossus Androngo Anomalopus Apterygodon Asymblepharus Ateuchosaurus Barkudia Bartleia Bassiana Brachymeles Caledoniscincus Calyptotis Carlia Cautula Celatiscincus Chabanaudia Chalcides Chalcidoseps Coeranoscincus Cophoscincopus Corucia Cryptoblepharus

Cryptoscincus Ctenotus Cyclodina Cyclodomorphus Dasia Davewakeum Egernia Emoia Eremiascincus Eroticoscincus Eugongylus Eulamprus Eumeces Eumecia Eurylepis Eutropis Feylinia Fojia Geomyersia Geoscincus Glaphyromorphus Gnypetoscincus Gongylomorphus Gongylus Graciliscincus Haackgreerius Hakaria Helioscincus

Hemiergis Hemisphaeriodon Isopachys Janetaescincus Kanakysaurus Lacertaspis Lacertoides Lacertus Lamprolepis Lampropholis Lankascincus Larutia Leiolopisma Leptoseps Leptosiaphos Lerista Lioscincus Lipinia Lobulia Lubuya Lygisaurus Lygosoma Mabuya Macroscincus Marmorosphax Melanoseps Menetia Mesoscincus

Mochlus Morethia Nangura Nannoscincus Ndurascincus Neoseps Nessia Niveoscincus Notoscincus Novoeumeces Oligosoma Ophiomorus Ophioscincus Pamelaescincus Panaspis Papuascincus Parachalcides Paracontias Paralipinia Parvoscincus Phoboscincus Plestiodon Prasinohaema Proablepharus Proscelotes Pseudoacontias Pseudemoia Pygomeles

Riopa Ristella Saiphos Saproscincus Scelotes Scincella Scincopus Scincus Scolecoseps Sepsina Sigaloseps Simiscincus Sirenoscincus Sphenomorphus (probably paraphyletic) Sphenops Tachygia Techmarscincus Tiliqua Trachylepis Tribolonotus Tropidophorus Tropidoscincus Typhlacontias Typhlosaurus Vietnascincus Voeltzkowia

Gallery

Bronze Grass Skink Mabuya macularia at Pocharam Lake, Andhra Pradesh, India	Bridled mabuya, Mabuya vittata	Skink, photographed at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, USA	A southern weasel skink (Saproscincus mustelinus) hunting in the canopy of a small shrub.	Skink	Skink, Onkaparinga River National Park, South Australia.
Western skink in San Diego, California	Ctenotus robustus on the walking track at Dorrigo National Park, Australia	Plestiodon japonicus	Lampropholis guichenoti, Australia	Broad-Headed Skink, Plestiodon laticeps, Jacksonville, Florida, USA	Eastern Water Skink (Eulamprus quoyii), Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia
Eastern Water Skink (Eulamprus quoyii), Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia	Metallic Skink (Niveoscincus metallicus), Cradle Mountain, Tasmania, Australia

References

• De Vosjoli, Philippe (1993) Prehensile-Tailed Skinks. Advanced Vivarium Systems. ISBN 1-882770-24-2

External links

• Description of Skinks at the TIGR.
• The Lizards of Missouri