There are just 4 species of LAMPROLEPIS skink, all of which occur in Southeast Asia. This genus includes the stunning, bright green Emerald Skink which occurs in Indonesia and the Pacific Islands. These are diurnal, arboreal lizards with a robust body and pointed snout. Their scales are smooth and glossy, their tails are long - at least 1.5 times head-body length, and their limbs are relatively short. Examples :
species :
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Lamprolepis leucosticta (L. Müller, 1923)
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Lamprolepis nieuwenhuisi (Lidth de Jeude, 1905)
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Lamprolepis smaragdina (Lesson, 1826) – emerald tree skink, green tree skink
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Lamprolepis vyneri (Shelford, 1905)
- Emerald Skink ( Lamprolepis smaragdina )
Emerald Skink
courtesy to : www.ecologyasia.com/verts/lizards/emerald-skink.htm
Family : SCINCIDAE
Species : Lamprolepis smaragdina
Size (snout to vent) : 10 cm
Size (total length) : 25 cm
The beautiful Emerald Skink is an arboreal lizard of lightly wooded or thickly forested lowlands.
Its colouration may vary greatly within populations, and in different geographic areas. The most stunning specimens are a vibrant green colour throughout, with a slightly paler belly. Others may be bluish or brown, sometimes spotted with pale or dark spots, and sometimes with a pale band along each flank.
In East Timor, Kaiser et al (2011) documented the presence of Lamprolepis skinks which are green in the front part of the body, and brown at the rear, with dark dorsal spots and dark lateral striping : these varicoloured specimens exist alongside others which are fully brown with lightly speckles. Such colour variations were seen in both sexes.
The body is moderately robust, and the snout is long and pointed. Small ear openings are visible mid-way between the snout and the forelimb.
Adults reach around 10 cm snout-to-vent, with a tail which measures around 1.5 times body length, but in some specimens may be considerably longer.
This skink appears to be fully arboreal in habits, and individuals appear to have a preferred tree where they may be seen day after day. They are typically active at least 5 metres from the ground, on large tree trunks. Their eggs, measuring 10 mm, are laid under loose bark.
Four subspecies are generally recognised.
This wide-ranging species occurs in eastern Indonesia, ranging from Lombok and Sulawesi in the west to New Guinea in the east. Its western extent is thus marked by the Wallace Line. It also occurs in the Philippines and Taiwan.
In the western Pacific Ocean it occurs in the Solomon Islands, Admiralty Islands and Marshall Islands.
Figs 1 to 3 : Three images of a specimen found late morning at an elevation of 500 metres on the northern slope of Mount Rinjani, Lombok, Indonesia. The island of Lombok marks the western extent of the range of this widespread species. The specimen appeared to be fully grown, measuring an estimated 10 cm snout-to-vent, with a tail of around 16 cm. It was spotted some metres from the ground on a large tree on a lightly wooded, steep slope. Once disturbed, it retreated higher into a tangle of foliage.
References :
de Rooij N. 1915. The reptiles of the Indo-Australian Archipelago. I. Lacertilia, Chelonia, Emydosauria. Leiden, The Netherlands: E. J. Brill Ltd. 384 pp
Kaiser H., Lopes Carvalho V., Ceballos J., Freed P., Heacox S., Lester B., Richards S. J., Trainor C. R., Sanchez C., O’Shea M. 2011. The herpetofauna of Timor-Leste: A first report. ZooKeys, 109: 19–86
Videos :
Emerald Tree Skink (Lamprolepis smaragdina) eating banana
Green Tree Skinks at Northampton Reptile Centre
Emerald Tree Skink (Lamprolepis smaragdina) in MOLA.
EMERALD SKINK
Sexing an Emerald/Green tree skink (Lamprolepis smaragdina)
Other Websites :
- www.aqualog.de/en/blog-en/a-suitable-skink-for-all-eventualities/
- www.geckosunlimited.com/community/other-herps/42725-green-tree-skinks.html
- thereptilereport.com/emerald-tree-skinks/
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamprolepis_smaragdina
- reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Lamprolepis&species=smaragdina
Other websites :
- novataxa.blogspot.ae/2012/02/2011-larutia-penangensis-malaysia.html
- www.inaturalist.org/taxa/Larutia_trifasciata
LARUTIA skinks (Larut Skinks) are elongated, snake-like lizards, with tiny, reduced or absent limbs. As of 2015, eight species have been identified, of which 5 are endemic to Peninsular Malaysia, and 1 each in Thailand, Borneo and Sumatra. They are secretive, leaf-litter dwellers and are rarely seen. Examples :
Species :
-Larutia larutensis
-Larutia miodactyla
-Larutia nubisilvicola Chan-ard, Cota, Mekchai & Lhaoteaw, 2011[2]
-Larutia penangensis Grismer et al., 2011[1]
-Larutia seribuatensis
-Larutia sumatrensis
-Larutia trifasciata
- Three-banded Larut Skink (Larutia trifasciata )
Three-banded Larut Skink
courtesy : www.ecologyasia.com/verts/lizards/three-banded-larut-skink.htm
Family : SCINCIDAE
Species : Larutia trifasciata
Size (snout to vent) :
Females up to 16 cm, males up to 25 cm.
Size (total length) :
Females up to ~35 cm, males up to ~55 cm.
The Three-banded Larut Skink is a secretive lizard of montane forests in Peninsular Malaysia. It inhabits forest floor leaf-litter, soft soil and rotting vegetation beneath fallen trees. It is rarely seen, but may emerge on the surface after heavy rain.
As with all other species in the genus Larutia, its body is markedly elongate, slender and somewhat snake-like. Its limbs are greatly reduced, with only 2 digits remaining on each foot. Its tail is slightly longer than its head and body. The head is of the same width as its body, which is an adaptation to a burrowing lifestyle.
Its body is a rich, dark brown colour patterned with yellow speckles which may form broken stripes. There are three distinctive white or yellow bands on the head and neck.
When crawling slowly this species has been observed to use its short legs to aid movement, however when it moves rapidly the limbs are held against the side of the body and its movement is fully snake-like, with the limbs playing no role (Grismer, 2011).
This species has been found in upland areas of Peninsular Malaysia including Taman Negara, the Banjaran Timur mountains, Fraser's Hill and Cameron Highlands.
It appears to have adapted well to habitat changes in Cameron Highlands, where the forest has been extensively cleared and the land converted to agriculture (Grismer, 2011). This implies that its prey persists in soft, farmland soils.
Figs 1 to 3 : Example from Fraser's Hill, Peninsular Malaysia (elevation = +/- 1000 metres). It was found crossing a forest road by day. Photos thanks to Morten Strange and Ng Bee Choo.
Fig 4 : Quiet, rural road through lower montane forest habitat at Fraser's Hill. The secretive Three-banded Larut Skink is occasionally seen crossing such roads.
SPHENOMORPHUS is a widespread and diverse genus of skink with around 150 species currently recognised, of which perhaps 50 or so occur in Southeast Asia, with many more species on the island of New Guinea. Their body shape is rather thickset, with relatively slender legs. They have adapted to a range of ecological niches, including forest floor, tree trunks, swamp forest etc. Examples :
Provisional species list :
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Sphenomorphus abdictus
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Sphenomorphus acutus
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Sphenomorphus aesculeticola
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Sphenomorphus amblyplacodes
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Sphenomorphus annectens
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Sphenomorphus anotus
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Sphenomorphus arborens
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Sphenomorphus assatus[verification needed] (Cope, 1864)
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Sphenomorphus atrigularis
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Sphenomorphus beauforti
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Sphenomorphus beyeri
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Sphenomorphus bignelli
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Sphenomorphus biparietalis
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Sphenomorphus bruneus
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Sphenomorphus buenloicus
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Sphenomorphus buettikoferi
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Sphenomorphus bukitensis
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Sphenomorphus capitolythos Shea & Michels, 2008
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Sphenomorphus celebense
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Sphenomorphus cherriei (Cope, 1893)– encinela-selvática café
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Sphenomorphus cinereus
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Sphenomorphus concinnatus(Boulenger, 1887)
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Sphenomorphus consobrinus
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Sphenomorphus courcyanum
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Sphenomorphus coxi
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Sphenomorphus cranei
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Sphenomorphus crassa
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Sphenomorphus cumingi
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Sphenomorphus cyanolaemus
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Sphenomorphus darlingtoni
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Sphenomorphus decipiens
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Sphenomorphus derroyae
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Sphenomorphus diwata
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Sphenomorphus dorsicatenatus
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Sphenomorphus dussumieri – Dussumier's forest skink
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Sphenomorphus fasciatus
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Sphenomorphus florensis
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Sphenomorphus forbesi
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Sphenomorphus fragosus
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Sphenomorphus grandisonae
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Sphenomorphus granulatus
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Sphenomorphus haasi
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Sphenomorphus hallieri
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Sphenomorphus helenae
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Sphenomorphus incertus[verification needed] (L. Stuart, 1940) – encinela-selvática hojarasquera
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Sphenomorphus incognitus
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Sphenomorphus indicus – Indian forest skink
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Sphenomorphus ishaki
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Sphenomorphus jagori
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Sphenomorphus jobiensis (Meyer, 1874)
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Sphenomorphus kinabaluensis
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Sphenomorphus kitangladensis
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Sphenomorphus knollmanae
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Sphenomorphus kuehnei
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Sphenomorphus langkawiensis
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Sphenomorphus laterimaculatus
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Sphenomorphus lawtoni
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Sphenomorphus leptofasciatus
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Sphenomorphus leucospilos
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Sphenomorphus lineopunctulatus
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Sphenomorphus llanosi
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Sphenomorphus luzonense
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Sphenomorphus maculatus – spotted forest skink
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Sphenomorphus maculicollus
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Sphenomorphus maindroni
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Sphenomorphus malayanum
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Sphenomorphus megalops
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Sphenomorphus microtympanus
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Sphenomorphus mimicus
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Sphenomorphus mimikanum
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Sphenomorphus mindanensis
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Sphenomorphus minutus
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Sphenomorphus modigliani
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Sphenomorphus muelleri – forest skink, Müllers Keilskink[3][4]
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Sphenomorphus multisquamatus
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Sphenomorphus murudensis
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Sphenomorphus necopinatus
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Sphenomorphus neuhaussi
"Hinulia" elegans, described by Gray in 1838, is unidentified, but may be Eulamprus tenuis,[5] which is also known as Concinnia tenuis (Gray, 1831).
- Blue-throated Litter Skink (Sphenomorphus cyanolaemus )
Blue-throated Litter Skink
courtesy to : www.ecologyasia.com/verts/lizards/blue-throated-litter-skink.htm
Family : SCINCIDAE
Species : Sphenomorphus cyanolaemus
Size (snout to vent) : 6 cm
Size (total length) : 14 cm
This slender-bodied skink inhabits lowland rainforest up to elevations of 850 metres. It prefers largely to remain on the forest floor, searching amongst leaf litter for its prey, but is also known to climb short distances up tree trunks. It probably feeds on forest floor insects.
The species is identified by the dark dorso-lateral band which runs along the length of each flank : this is adorned above and below by yellow-gold flecks, spots or blotches. Its dorsal surface has a complex pattern of yellow-brown and dark brown mottling. Males are pale blue on the forward part of the flanks and on the throat, and the dorsal surface is more gold in colour.
Its body is slender, its head relatively small, and its eyes large. Its lips are adorned with black and white barring, with the white bars being much thicker than the black. Its tail is more than twice the length of its body, and its limbs are long.
The Blue-throated Litter Skink occurs in Peninsular Malaysia and on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo.
Fig 1 : Gravid (i.e. egg carrying) female from Sungei Bantang, Johor, Peninsular Malaysia. The lizard was spotted two metres above the forest floor on the buttress of a large tree.
Figs 2 and 3 : Female specimen seen at Danum Valley, Sabah, Borneo.
Videos :
Female Blue-throated litter skink, Mulu NP, Malaysia. 20140325_173411.m2ts
Blue-throated litter skink, Mulu NP, Malaysia. 20140305_083756.m2ts
Blue-throated litter skink, Mulu NP, Malaysia. 20140305_083824.m2ts
- Streamside Skink (Sphenomorphus maculatus )
Family : SCINCIDAE
Species : Sphenomorphus maculatus
Size (snout to vent) : 6.7 cm
Size (total length) : up to 18.7 cm ?
The Streamside Skink inhabits the vicinity of streams and small rivers in lowland and hilly areas. It can be found foraging amongst rocks and vegetation right at the waters edge.
In some locales this skink may venture further afield, for example the specimen shown here, was around 50 metres from the nearest water body, on the floor of a restaurant. Its diet comprises insects and other invertebrates.
It is easily identified by the broad, dark stripe which extends from the snout, through the eye, along the entire length of the body and to the tip of the tail. This stripe is adorned with pale speckles. On the flanks, beneath the dark stripe, is a mottled zone comprising yellowish and brown spots.
The upperside of the head, body and tail is brown, with smooth scales, and faint darker markings. The throat and belly are pale and immaculate.
The species is also known as 'Spotted Forest Skink' or 'Maculated Forest Skink', however these alternate common names may cause confusion with other species.
The Streamside Skink ranges from parts of Nepal, eastern India and southern China, to Burma, Indochina (Cambodia, Vietnam), Thailand and possibly the northernmost part of Peninsular Malaysia.
Distribution :
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in Indonesia in Kalimantan and on Sumatra ;
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in East Malaysia .
Figs 1 and 2: Specimen from Khao Yai, Thailand at an elevation of around 750 metres. It was around 50 metres from the nearest stream on the floor of a restaurant, perhaps drawn there by the presence of insects.
Fig 3 : Stream habitat at Khao Yai, Thailand, slightly swollen and silty with recent rain.
Photos :
Other Websites :
- reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Sphenomorphus&species=maculatus
- www.thainationalparks.com/species/sphenomorphus-maculatus
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphenomorphus_maculatus
- www.inaturalist.org/taxa/37533-Sphenomorphus-maculatus
- Lesser Sunda Dark-throated Skink' ( Sphenomorphus melanopogon )
Family : SCINCIDAE
Species : Sphenomorphus melanopogon
Size (snout to vent) : 6.8 cm
Size (total length) : approx 19 cm
This wide-ranging species lacks a common name, so the title 'Lesser Sunda Dark-throated Skink' is coined here, occurring as it does in many islands of the Lesser Sundas (Nusa Tenggara), central Indonesia.
This is a predominantly terrestrial species, though large adults may climb onto fallen trees and juveniles may climb a metre or two up tree trunks.
The scientific name of Sphenomorphus melanopogon describes a dark throat, however it appears that only fully grown specimens may exhibit a dark throat if at all, and this feature appears more common in males. Where the dark throat is absent, the throat appears to very pale to creamy yellow. The species has also been named Sphenomorphus florensis in the past.
Assembled here (Figs 1 to 5) are images from western Flores and Pulau Rinca, an island lying between Komodo and Flores, which show a bewildering array of patterns including striations, flecks, patches and stripes, as well as throat and neck colours ranging from cream to orange to black. It is interpreted that these patterns and colours are related to age, gender, or seasonal factors.
Some authors interpret different subspecies on different islands, but Shea (2012) does not agree. Rather, it appears that in the west of the species range the throat is pale, and in the east the throat is generally dark.
In western Flores and adjacent areas, where Figures 1 to 5 were taken, and which is in the central part of the species range, a dark throat appears to be the exception.
In the field the species can be identified on the basis of finely striated dorsal scales, and the possible presence of a black throat. Other key characteristics listed by Shea (2012), such as the presence of imbricate scales on the feet extending onto the base of the feet between the 4th and 5th digits, as well as specific scale arrangements on the head cannot be seen in the field.
This species occurs on many islands of the Lesser Sundas (Nusa Tenggara) of Indonesia too numerous to list here, but the range includes the larger islands of Sumbawa, Sumba, Komodo (and Rinca), Flores and Timor.
References :
Shea, G. M. 2012. On the identity of the type species of Sphenomorphus (Squamata: Scincidae): Lygosoma melanopogon Duméril and Bibron 1839, with a note on a new scalation character of the pes in Sphenomorphus.Zootaxa 3490:1-29.
Fig 4 : Orange-throated specimen, of around 5 cm snout-to-vent, from Labuanbajo, western Flores. This skink shares some features with S. melanopogon, such as the finely striated dorsum.
Fig 3 : This skink from Labuanbajo, western Flores, displays a finely striated dorsum, a feature which is often indicative of S. melanopogon.
Fig 1 : Large, robust specimen from Pulau Rinca. The dark throat is well-developed in this specimen, which is clearly S. melanopogon, and measures around 7 cm or more snout-to-vent. Found in open woodland habitat.
Fig 6 : Skink from the northern slope of Mt. Rinjani, Lombok (elevation 500 metres) which shows some similarities to S. melanopogon.
Fig 5 : Juvenile skink of around 4 cm snout-to-vent,
with dark stripe along the flank. Seen at Labuanbajo, western Flores. Such juveniles also occur on Komodo Island, and may represent young S. melanopogon.
Fig 2 : A smaller skink from Pulau Rinca, of around 6 cm snout-to-vent, lacking a dark throat. Tentatively this is also an example of S. melanopogon.
Other websites :
- reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Sphenomorphus&species=melanopogon
- fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphenomorphus_melanopogon
- www.inaturalist.org/taxa/38112-Sphenomorphus-melanopogon
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