Ablepharus

Last updated

Ablepharus
Ablepharus rueppellii 01.jpg
European snake-eyed skink, Ablepharus kitaibelii
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Scincidae
Subfamily: Eugongylinae
Genus: Ablepharus
Lichtenstein, 1823
Species

Ablepharus alaicus
Ablepharus anatolicus
Ablepharus bivittatus
Ablepharus budaki
Ablepharus chernovi
Ablepharus darvazi
Ablepharus deserti
Ablepharus eremchenkoi
Ablepharus grayanus
Ablepharus himalayanus
Ablepharus kitaibelii
Ablepharus ladacensis
Ablepharus lindbergi
Ablepharus mahabharatus
Ablepharus nepalensis
Ablepharus pannonicus
Ablepharus rueppellii

Ablepharus sikimmensis
Ablepharus tragbulensis

Contents

Ablepharus is a genus of skinks that contains the common snake-eyed skinks. [1] Both their scientific and common names refer to the fact that their eyelids have fused to a translucent capsule; as in snakes, they thus are physically incapable of blinking. [2] They are small lizards and prefer to live in the leaf litter of dry fields and hills. [3] Their scales give them a very shiny, bronze appearance with a characteristically dark stripe down the sides of their bodies. They prey on small insects and other small mollusks. [4]

Characteristics

Appearance

The scales on all Ablepharus species are shiny and bronze in appearance. Also, a very characteristic bronze stripe runs the length of the dorsal surface of the body. They have short, weak front legs, which contribute to their moving in a serpentine-like manner. In general, females are longer and weigh more than their male counterparts. Ablepharus species have thick tails relative to their body sizes and lengths. [4] Fully mature Ablepharus species can reach a total length (including tail) of up to 15 cm (5.9 in). On average, both males and females reach a total length of up to about 13 cm (5.1 in). [5]

Mannerisms and habitat

As a whole, Ablepharus skinks are generally shy creatures. They tend to bask in the sunlight during the daytime and become more active as dusk and darkness approach. [5] They make their homes in rocky areas with leaf litter and little soil. [6]

Distribution

The geographic range of the common snake-eyed skink spans from southern European countries to northern African countries; also, some species are native to southeast Asia. [5] While most of the species in the genus prefer remaining low to the ground and in drier environments, some species may be found in damper habitats up to 2,000 m above sea level. [4]

Diet

Analysis of the stomach contents of certain Ablepharus species has led to the conclusion that common snake-eyed skinks are typically generalist predators. [6] They mainly feed on small arthropods, mollusks, and small snails. [4]

Lifecycle

In captivity, common snake-eyed skinks are known to survive up to three and a half years; in the wild, where they are preyed upon, they live about two and a half years. [4] Upon reaching reproductive maturity, the female snake-eyed skink lays between two and four eggs at a time; these eggs will then take at least 9 weeks to hatch. Hatchlings typically measure around 3.5 cm long. About two years are needed for the hatchlings to reach reproductive maturity. [4]

Species

There are 19 species in the genus Ablepharus which are recognized as being valid: [1]

Found in China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan
Found in Azerbaijan, Turkey, south-eastern and central Armenia, Iran, and Turkmenistan
Typically found in thorny shrubbery, grasslands, and rocky slopes [7]
Found in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Cyprus
Typically inhabits leaf litter, woodlands, shrubbery, and forests in humid areas [8]
Found in Syria, Turkey, and Armenia
Typically, they are found hiding under leaf litter and small stones in open areas with little shrubbery or forestation. Some may also be found on some of the gentler slopes on some mountain ranges. [9]
Found in Tajikistan, India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan [10]
Found in Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan
Generally observed in desert lands and dry slopes with several different types of angiosperms around 2,000 m above sea level [11]
Found in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan
Found in Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Turkmenistan
Found in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, Pakistan, India, Nepal
Found in southern Slovakia, Serbia, Hungary, Eastern Croatia, Albania, Greece, southern Romania, Macedonia, and Turkey
Inhabits arid regions containing meadows, scrubland, and woodland clearings, as well as hilly areas [12]
Found in Tibet (China), North India, western Nepal, and northern Pakistan.
Found in western Afghanistan [13]
Found in Nepal.
Found in Nepal.
Found in the United Arab Emirates, eastern Georgia, Iraq, Iran, Oman, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, Afghanistan, Caucasus, northwestern India, southwestern Tajikistan, southern Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and western Azerbaijan [14]
Found in central and northern Israel, the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt, southern Lebanon, western and northern Jordan, and possible reported sightings in Syria and Jordan
Inhabits more heavily forested areas with dense vegetation, prefer humid areas, especially the oases in Egypt [15]
Found in Bangladesh (Rangpur), Bhutan, China (Tibet), India (Darjeeling, Sikkim) and Nepal.
Found in India and Pakistan.

Nota bene : A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Ablepharus.

Related Research Articles

The minor snake-eyed skink is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is native to Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asian snake-eyed skink</span> Species of lizard

The Asian snake-eyed skink is a species of skink. It is found in Georgia, southern Turkmenistan, southern Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, western Azerbaijan, eastern Iran, Iraq, Oman, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Jordan, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, northwestern India, and Cyprus.

Ablepharus ladacensis, also known as the Ladak ground skink, is a species of skink found in Tibet (China), North India, western Nepal, and northern Pakistan.

<i>Ablepharus kitaibelii</i> Species of lizard

Ablepharus kitaibelii, commonly known as the European copper skink, European snake-eyed skink, juniper skink, or snake-eyed skink, is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Eastern Europe and Southwestern Asia.

<i>Ablepharus budaki</i> Species of lizard

Ablepharus budaki, commonly known as Budak's skink and Budak's snake-eyed skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the Near East.

<i>Ablepharus rueppellii</i> Species of lizard

Ablepharus rueppellii, known commonly as Rüppell's snake-eyed skink, is a species of skink found in the Middle East. It was formerly considered a subspecies of Ablepharus kitaibelii, but has since been distinguished. What is currently recognized as this species is possibly two distinct species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Large-eared pika</span> Species of mammal

The large-eared pika is a species of small mammal in the family Ochotonidae. It is found in mountainous regions of Afghanistan, Tibet, Bhutan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Pakistan and Tajikistan where it nests among boulders and scree.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twin-striped skink</span> Species of lizard

The twin-striped skink is a skink native to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, northwestern Iran and Turkey. It is generally found at elevations between 2,300 metres (7,500 ft) and 3,300 metres (10,800 ft).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chernov's skink</span> Species of lizard

Chernov's skink is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to northern Eurasia.

Ablepharus darvazi, also known as Darvaz snake-eyed skink, is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Central Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Desert lidless skink</span> Species of lizard

The desert lidless skink is a species of skink native to southern Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, northern Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and eastern Turkmenistan.

This page shows the Kyrgyzstan national football team's results in International Matches, as recognized by FIFA:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tajikistan national football team fixtures and results</span>

This page shows the Tajikistan national football team's results in International Matches, as recognized by FIFA:

Ablepharus lindbergi, Lindberg's snake-eyed skink or Lindberg's twin-striped skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. It is endemic to Afghanistan.

<i>Ablepharus alaicus</i> Species of lizard

Ablepharus alaicus is a species of skink found in China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan.

<i>Ablepharus eremchenkoi</i> Species of lizard

Ablepharus eremchenkoi is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is native to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

<i>Ablepharus himalayanus</i> Species of lizard

The Himalaya ground skink is a species of skink found in Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Turkmenistan.

References

Further reading