EUGONGYLUS skinks : are known as mastiff skinks, sheen skinks or short-legged giant skinks. These are long, muscular lizards which move in a sinuous motion. They are terrestrial, and are most commonly seen at dusk, being somewhat nocturnal in habits. There are just 6 species, of which 3 occur in eastern parts of Southeast Asia. Examples :
Species :
-Eugongylus albofasciolatus (Günther, 1872) – white-banded mastiff skink, white-banded giant skink, white-striped cape skink
-Eugongylus mentovarius (Boettger, 1895) – odd-chinned mastiff skink, odd-chinned giant skink
-Eugongylus rufescens (Shaw, 1802) – bar-lipped sheen-skink
-Eugongylus sulaensis (Kopstein, 1927) – Sula skink
-Eugongylus unilineatus (de Rooij, 1915)
Rough-scaled Sun Skink
courtesy to : www.ecologyasia.com/verts/lizards/rough-scaled-sun-skink.htm
Family : SCINCIDAE
Species : Eutropis rugifera
Size (snout to vent) : 10 cm
Size (total length) : > 20 cm
This small, attractive skink is rather uncommon. It inhabits lowland, forested areas including primary forest, secondary forest, swamp forest and occasionally degraded forest-edge habitat.
It is mainly terrestrial in habits, but is a fairly adept climber and may be found in low vegetation one or two metres above the forest floor. It often suns itself on the trunks of large trees, typically in a downward-facing posture. It feeds on small invertebrates.
Its body is robust and flattened, and the head is small. Its most obvious feature are the strongly keeled, overlapping scales, which give the lizard a rough, matt, non-reflective appearance. Many of its larger scales may bear at least 5 or 6 keels, or ridges.
Its upperside is mainly dark brown towards the front of the body, and this may grade to orange-brown towards the rear. There is a series of thin, broken, yellowish stripes running along the full length of the body. The flanks are yellowish-orange, and the throat and belly are pale.
In Panti Forest, Johor, Peninsular Malaysia, a plain brown form has been documented (Grismer, 2011). Figs 5 and 6 are of a small example of this colour morph.
Eutropis rugifera occurs in southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Borneo, Java (and possibly Bali).
- Bar-lipped Sheen Skink (Eugongylus rufescens )
- Bar-lipped Sheen Skink ( Eugongylus rufescens )
courtesy to : www.ecologyasia.com/verts/lizards/bar-lipped-sheen-skink.htm
Family : SCINCIDAE
Species : Eugongylus rufescens
Size (snout to vent) : up to 14.3 cm
Size (total length) : up to 38.3 cm
The Bar-lipped Sheen Skink, or Brown Sheen Skink, is a large, terrestrial skink which inhabits forest but is more commonly seen in disturbed habitats at the forest edge.
It appears to be nocturnal in habits, and is thus typically seen at dusk when it starts to become active.
Its body is robust and muscular, and measures around 14 cm from snout to vent. Its tail is long, thick and equally muscular and measures over 1.5 times head-body length. It moves in a sinuous, snake-like motion when fleeing disturbance.
Its body is medium to dark brown with faint, thin, regular transverse banding. The scales are smooth, and iridescent under bright light. The upper and lower lips are adorned with a series of vertical dark bands.
This species is known to feed upon smaller lizards, including other skinks, as well as large insects, such as crickets, and other invertebrates.
In Southeast Asia Eugongylus rufescens occurs in parts of eastern Indonesia including the mollucan islands of Seram and Ambon, and the Aru Islands. Further east it occurs in many parts of Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Queensland, Australia.
Fig 1 : Example from Papua New Guinea, found at an elevation of around 900 metres. It exhibits the typical pattern of narrow, pale bars on its flanks.
Fig 4 : Active amongst dead vegetation.
Fig 3 : Full view. Note the sinuous, muscular body and tail.
Fig 2 : Close-up of the head showing the dark bars on the upper and lower lips. Note the large ear opening.
References :
de Rooij, N., 1915. The Reptiles of the Indo-Australian Archipelago, I Lacertilia, Chelonia, Emydosauria. E.J. Brill Ltd. Leiden. xiv + 382 pp.
Other Websites :
- reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Eugongylus&species=rufescens
- bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au
Video :
EUTROPIS skinks, or Sun Skinks, comprise around 30 or so species of which around half occur in Southeast Asia. These are diurnal, terrestrial skinks which forage amongst leaf litter, or bask on fallen trees, rocks or in patches of sunlight on the forest floor. Their bodies are robust and flattened, and their dorsal scales are strongly keeled which gives them a matt appearance. Many species have pale stripes along the upper part of the flanks. Examples :
Species :
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Eutropis allapallensis (K.P. Schmidt, 1926)
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Eutropis andamanensis (M.A. Smith, 1935)
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Eutropis beddomii (Jerdon, 1870) – Beddome's mabuya[4]
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Eutropis bibronii (Gray, 1839)
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Eutropis carinata (Schneider, 1801) – keeled Indian mabuya, many-keeled grass skink, "golden skink"
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Eutropis clivicola (Inger et al., 1984) – Inger's mabuya[4]
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Eutropis cumingi (W.C. Brown & Alcala, 1980) – Cuming's mabuya[4]
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Eutropis darevskii (Bobrov, 1992)
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Eutropis dissimilis (Hallowell, 1857) – striped grass mabuya, striped grass skink
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Eutropis englei (Taylor, 1925) – six-striped mabuya
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Eutropis floweri (Taylor, 1950) – Taylor's striped mabuya[4]
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Eutropis gansi (Das, 1991)
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Eutropis grandis Howard et al., 2007
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Eutropis indeprensa (W.C. Brown & Alcala, 1980) – Brown's mabuya[4]
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Eutropis innotata (Blanford, 1870) – Blanford's mabuya[4]
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Eutropis longicaudata (Hallowell, 1857) – giant copper skink, longtail mabuya
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Eutropis macularia (Blyth, 1853) – bronze mabuya, bronze grass skink
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Eutropis madaraszi (Méhelÿ, 1897) – Sri Lanka bronze mabuya
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Eutropis multicarinata (Gray, 1845) – many-keeled mabuya, two-striped mabuya
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Eutropis multifasciata (Kuhl, 1820) – East Indian brown mabuya, many-lined sun skink, many-striped skink, common sun skink, golden skink
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Eutropis nagarjuni (Sharma, 1969) – Sharma's skink[4]
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Eutropis novemcarinata (Anderson, 1871) – Anderson's mabuya,[4] nine-keeled skink
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Eutropis quadratilobus (Bauer & R. Günther, 1992)
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Eutropis quadricarinata (Boulenger, 1887) – beautiful mabuya
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Eutropis rudis (Boulenger, 1887) – rough mabuya, brown mabuya
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Eutropis rugifera (Stoliczka, 1870) – Nicobar Island skink, Sulawesi bronze bush skink
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Eutropis tammanna Das, de Silva & Austin, 2008 – Tammanna skink
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Eutropis trivittata (Hardwicke & Gray, 1827) – three-banded mabuya
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Eutropis tytleri (Theobald, 1868) – Tytler's mabuya[4]
Unidentified Eutropis from Wayanad(Kerala, India)
Eutropis macularia, bronze grass skink, at Pocharam lake, Andhra Pradesh, India.
- Long-tailed Sun Skink ( Eutropis longicaudata )
Family : SCINCIDAE
Species : Eutropis longicaudata
Size (snout to vent) : 13.5 cm
Size (total length) : 40 cm
The Long-tailed Sun Skink occurs in heavily disturbed lowland habitats such as agricultural areas, parklands, roadsides and grassy areas. It is rarely found in dense forest, thus its original habitat was probably forest edge.
The species is easily identified by the impressively long tail, which measures twice the length of the head and body. This feature serves to distinguish the species from the Many-lined Sun Skink Eutropis multifasciata, which has a relatively shorter tail.
Unlike the Many-lined Sun Skink, there appears to be little variation in coloration and patterning, which comprises a medium brown dorsum, flecked with random pale spots, a thick dark stripe along the upper flank, a creamy stripe along the lower flank and a pale belly. The tail is plain brown.
As with other Eutropis skinks, the body scales are keeled (i.e. finely ridged longitudinally), though for this species the keels are not strongly developed. The legs are relatively short.
The species is most easily seen mid to late morning as it warms itself in the sun, often positioning itself on rocks or fallen trees. It appears to be less commonly seen in the hot, afternoon sun. At night it remains concealed.
It is known to feed on insects which inhabit grassy areas, such as grasshoppers, and reportedly also consumes earthworms if available.
Eutropis longicaudata occurs in southern China (including Taiwan and Hong Kong), Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Peninsular Malaysia (where it appears restricted to areas east of the main mountain spine running down the peninsula). It has not been seen in the southern Malaysian state of Johor, and does not occur naturally in Singapore.
Fig 1 : Close-up of a large specimen showing the clear demarcation between the brown dorsum, the broad, dark stripe on the upper flanks, and the creamy lower flanks.
Fig 3 : Note the long tail, which measures twice the length of the head-body.
Fig 5 : Specimen from Cat Ba Island, Vietnam in which the dark stripe on the flanks is largely absent.
Fig 2 : A smaller specimen emerges from the undergrowth to bask on a log.
Fig 4 : Full-grown specimen with somewhat flattened body.
(Figs 1 to 4 from Taman Negara, Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia).
A thai long tailed sun skink
Other Websites :
- reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Eutropis&species=longicaudata
- bangkokherps.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/long-tailed-sun-skink/
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutropis_longicaudata
- Speckled Forest Skink ( Eutropis macularia ) :
Speckled Forest Skink
courtesy to : www.ecologyasia.com/verts/lizards/speckled_forest_skink.htm
Family : SCINCIDAE
Species : Eutropis macularia
Size (snout to vent) : 7 cm
Size (total length) : 16 cm
The Speckled Forest Skink mainly inhabits dry deciduous forests. It is a leaf litter dweller, where it forages for its food prey of small spiders, insects and other invertebrates. Patience is required to see this species, as it active and fast moving.
In the field, the key identifying feature is the orange-red throat colour in adults, and the two pale bands along the neck and shoulder. Juveniles are grey with a bronze head. As with other Eutropis species the scales are keeled.
The species ranges from Pakistan and India to Indochina, Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia.
Figs 1 and 2 : Two specimens from Siem Reap, central Cambodia.
Video :
Eutropis Macularia TONMOY ROY
Other Websites :
- reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Eutropis&species=macularia
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutropis_macularia
- www.inaturalist.org/taxa/38015-Eutropis-macularia
- bangkokherps.wordpress.com/tag/sun-skink/
Speckled Forest Skink or Bronze Mabuya or Bronze Grass Skink
- Many-lined Sun Skink ( Eutropis multifasciata )
Many-lined Sun Skink
courtesy to : www.ecologyasia.com/verts/lizards/many-lined_sun_skink.htm
Family : SCINCIDAE
Species : Eutropis multifasciata
Size (snout to vent) : 13 cm
Size (total length) : 35 cm
Skinks are characterised by their smooth, scaled skins, and small legs. Mainly terrestrial and diurnal, they are to be found basking in the sun along forest tracks or on tree trunks.
The Many-lined or Common Sun Skink can be identified by the five or seven dark lines on its ventral surface parallel to its body line. Older, larger specimens are commonly found lacking the thick tail.
It inhabits primary and secondary forests, and is often found on the forest floor where the sun breaks through the canopy. However it can also be found close to villages, along river banks and in areas of rock outcrop.
The colour of the flanks can vary from olive-brown to reddish-orange. Throat colour can vary from white to yellow. It feeds mainly on insects and gives birth to live young.
The species ranges from India, southern China, Burma, Thailand and Indochina down through Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, to Sumatra, Borneo, Java and other islands of Indonesia and the Philippines.
Fig 1 : Example with red and yellow-gold throat, at Khao Yai, Thailand.
Fig 2 : Specimen showing typical brown colouration, next to a rocky stream at Gunung Pulai, Johor, Peninsular Malaysia.
Fig 4 : Specimen from Cat Ba Island, Vietnam.
Fig 3 : Specimen with red flanks, from Singapore's central forests.
Fig 5 : Specimen from Bali, Indonesia, with yellow flanks.
Videos :
Eutropis multifasciata
Eutropis multifasciata Fütterung
Eutropis multifasciata eating
The East Indian Brown Mabuya (Eutropis multifasciata). Banlung.
Many-lined Sun Skink (E.multifasciata), Thailand. 20151001_102149.m2ts
Other Websites :
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutropis_multifasciata
- reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Eutropis&species=multifasciata
- www.wildherps.com/species/M.multifasciata.html
- Rough-scaled Brown Skink ( Eutropis rudis )
Rough-scaled Brown Skink
courtesy to : www.ecologyasia.com/verts/lizards/rough-scaled-brown-skink.htm
Family : SCINCIDAE
Species : Eutropis rudis
Size (snout to vent) : 12 cm
Size (total length) : 34 cm
This moderately large skink is terrestrial in habits, and occurs in lowland primary and secondary rainforests up to 700 metres in elevation (possibly higher in Borneo). It can also adapt to drier, heavily disturbed secondary habitats. As with other 'sun skinks' it may be found basking in the sun in forest clearings.
The species is best identified by its robust body form, the broad pale-edged dark brown stripe along the top of each flank, and the pale belly. The dorsal scales each have three keels, or raised ridges, which give the skink its rough-skinned appearance.
It feeds on a wide variety of forest floor invertebrates including various insects.
The Rough-scaled Brown Skink ranges from Sumatra, Borneo and adjacent smaller islands to Sulawesi and parts of the southern Philippines.
Fig 1 : Adult consuming a spider at Niah Caves National Park, Sarawak, Borneo.
Figs 2 and 3 : Full-grown adult searching for prey amongst leaf litter. Tangkoko National Park, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Fig 4 : Young adult, measuring around 6 cm snout-to-vent. This specimen has a series of dark and pale stripes along the dorsum.
Fig 5 : Adult sunning itself whilst gripping onto the fissured bark of a large tree. Danum Valley, Sabah, Borneo.
Video :
Brown Mabuya skink, Mulu NP, Malaysia. 20140318_155803.m2ts
Brown Mabuya skink, Mulu NP, Malaysia. 20140305_135001.m2ts
Rough-sided brown skink, Malaysia. 20120425_091331.mp4
Other Websites :
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutropis_rudis
- reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Eutropis&species=rudis
- www.inaturalist.org/taxa/Rough_Mabuya
- Rough-scaled Sun Skink ( Eutropis rugifera )
Figs 5 and 6 : Plain colour morph, lacking pale stripes, from Panti Forest, Johor, Peninsular Malaysia. It had an estimated snout-vent length of just 3 cm. The skink was observed warming itself in the morning sun in an area of freshwater swamp forest.
Fig 3 : Close-up of a hind foot, showing the long toes and curved claws which provide a strong grip on rough bark.
Figs 1 and 2 : Specimen from the edge of freshwater swamp forest in Singapore. This is the typical downward-facing posture.
Fig 4 : Close up of the head showing scale arrangements. Note the numerous, well developed keels on all body scales. Also note the presence of a mosquito drawing blood from just behind the left eye.
Other Websites :
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutropis_rugifera
- reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Eutropis&species=rugifera
- www.wikiwand.com/en/Eutropis_rugifera
Please select or follow below :
SKINKS SPECIES : Blue - tongued skinks : Part 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7
Five - Lined Skinks : Part 1 - 2
Other Skinks : ASIAN & AFRICAN skinks : Part 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Other Skinks American Part : 1 - 2 - 3
Other Skinks Australian Part : 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Please select or follow below :
SKINKS SPECIES : Blue - tongued skinks : Part 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7
Five - Lined Skinks : Part 1 - 2
Other Skinks : ASIAN & AFRICAN skinks : Part 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Other Skinks American Part : 1 - 2 - 3
Other Skinks Australian Part : 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14