Greek snake skink

Greek snake skink
Ophiomorus punctatissimus from the Peloponnese, Greece
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Scinciformata
Infraorder:	Scincomorpha
Family:	Scincidae
Genus:	Ophiomorus
Species:	O. punctatissimus
Binomial name
Ophiomorus punctatissimus (Bibron & Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1833)
Synonyms
Anguis punctatissimus Bibron & Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1833 Ophiomorus punctatissimus — Boulenger, 1887 [2]

The Greek snake skink (Ophiomorus punctatissimus) is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. ^[3]

Taxonomy

The species Ophiomorus kardesi was recently described for the Anatolian genetic lineage previously identified as Ophiomorus punctatissimus. Although no morphological differences have been identified, scientists have concluded that the genetic divergence and divergence time (around 10 million years) warranted recognising Ophiomorus kardesi as a distinct species. ^[1]

These latter authors note that this work revealed several additional mitochondrial lineages within O. punctatissimus and that further study is needed to clarify the taxonomic status of these.

Geographic range

This species is endemic to Europe, where it occurs in Greece on the Peloponnese Peninsula and on the islands of Kythira and Elafonisos in the Aegean Sea, off the southern tip of the Peloponnese. ^[1]

Habitat

Its natural habitats are temperate grassland and plantations. ^[3]

References

1. Bowles, P. (2024). "Ophiomorus punctatissimus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2024 e.T182564317A137854561. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
2. The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
3. Lymberakis P, Tok V, Ugurtas I, Sevinç M, Crochet P-A, Kaska Y, Kumlutaş Y, Kaya U, Avci A, Üzüm N, Yeniyurt C, Akarsu F. 2009. Ophiomorus punctatissimus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Archived 2014-06-27 at the Wayback Machine Downloaded on 13 March 2014.

Further reading

• Arnold EN, Burton JA. 1978. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Britain and Europe. London: Collins. 272 pp. ISBN   0-00-219318-3. (Ophiomorus punctatissimus, p. 181 + Plate 33 + Map 99).
• Bibron G, Bory de Saint-Vincent JB. 1833. "Vertébrés a Sang froid. Reptiles et Poissons". pp. 57–76. In: Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire I, Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire É. 1833. Expédition scientifique de Morée. Section des Sciences physiques. Tome III.—1.re Partie. Zoologie. Première Section.—Des animaux vertébrés. Paris & Strasbourg: F.G. Levrault. 400 pp. + plates. (Anguis punctatissimus, pp. 71–72 + Plate XI, Figure 5).
• Boulenger GA. 1887. Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume III. ... ,Scincidæ, ... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 575 pp. + Plates I-XL. (Ophiomorus punctatissimus, p. 397).