Skinks are lizards belonging to the family Scincidae, a family in the infraorder Scincomorpha. With more than 1,500 described species across 100 different taxonomic genera, the family Scincidae is one of the most diverse families of lizards. Skinks are characterized by their smaller legs in comparison to typical lizards and are found in different habitats except arctic and subarctic regions.
Lampropholis is a genus of skinks, commonly known as sunskinks, in the lizard subfamily Eugongylinae of the family Scincidae. The genus Lampropholis was previously found to belong to a clade with the genera Niveoscincus, Leiolopisma and others of the Eugongylus group within Lygosominae. All species of Lampropholis are endemic to Australia. For similar skinks see genera Bassiana, Pseudemoia, and Niveoscincus.
Carinascincus is a genus of skinks, commonly called snow skinks or cool-skinks and residing mainly in Tasmania or Victoria, Australia. Then recognised as the genus Niveoscincus, it was found to belong to a clade with the genera Carlia, Lampropholis and others of the Eugongylus group within Lygosominae. Cogger has rejected the use of the junior name Niveoscincus and recognizes the valid senior generic name Carinascincus for the group. For similar skinks see genera Pseudemoia, Lampropholis, and Bassiana. These skinks have adapted to the cooler weather of southern Australia and particularly Tasmania, hence the common names.
Pseudemoia is a genus of skinks native to southeastern Australia. For similar skinks see genera Bassiana, Lampropholis, and Niveoscincus.
In animals, viviparity is development of the embryo inside the body of the mother, with the maternal circulation providing for the metabolic needs of the embryo's development, until the mother gives birth to a fully or partially developed juvenile that is at least metabolically independent. This is opposed to oviparity, where the embryos develop independently outside the mother in eggs until they are developed enough to break out as hatchlings; and ovoviviparity, where the embryos are developed in eggs that remain carried inside the mother's body until the hatchlings emerge from the mother as juveniles, similar to a live birth.
Doctor Hazel Claire Weekes MBE was an Australian general practitioner and health writer; she also had an early career as a research scientist working in the field of comparative reproduction. Doctor Weekes is considered by many as the pioneer of modern anxiety treatment and has written several books on dealing with anxiety disorders. Many of today's self-help books on anxiety continue to cite her work.
Placentation refers to the formation, type and structure, or arrangement of the placenta. The function of placentation is to transfer nutrients, respiratory gases, and water from maternal tissue to a growing embryo, and in some instances to remove waste from the embryo. Placentation is best known in live-bearing mammals (theria), but also occurs in some fish, reptiles, amphibians, a diversity of invertebrates, and flowering plants. In vertebrates, placentas have evolved more than 100 times independently, with the majority of these instances occurring in squamate reptiles.
Leiolopisma telfairii, also known commonly as the Round Island ground skink, the Round Island skink, and Telfair's skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Round Island, one of the islands of Mauritius.
Carinascincus palfreymani, known commonly as the Pedra Branca skink, as well as the Palfreyman's window-eyed skink, the Pedra Branca cool-skink, or the red-throated skink, is a species of skink in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Australia, and is restricted to the windswept Pedra Branca, an island off southern Tasmania of only 2.5 ha, where it is dependent on the seabird colonies. It is the only lizard species found on the island.
Oligosoma suteri, known commonly as Suter's skink, the black shore skink, the egg-laying skink, and Suter's ground skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to New Zealand.
Saiphos equalis, commonly known as the yellow-bellied three-toed skink or simply three-toed skink, is a species of burrowing skink found in eastern Australia. It is the only species classified under the genus Saiphos.
Lipinia pulchella, known commonly as the yellow-striped slender tree skink or beautiful lipinia, is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the Philippines.
Papuascincus stanleyanus is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to New Guinea.
Pseudemoia baudini, also known commonly as Baudin's skink, Baudin's window-eyed skink, and the Bight Coast skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Australia.
Pseudemoia pagenstecheri, also known commonly as the southern grass tussock skink or the southern tussock grass skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Australia.
Pseudemoia rawlinsoni, also commonly known as the glossy grass skink and Rawlinson's window-eyed skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Australia.
Pseudemoia spenceri, also known commonly as Spencer's widow-eyed skink or the trunk-climbing cool-skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Australia.
Saproscincus challengeri, also known commonly as the Border Ranges shadeskink, Challenger's skink, the challenging shade skink, and the orange-tailed shadeskink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is native to New South Wales and Queensland in Australia.
Kaestlea beddomii, also known as Beddome's ground skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the Western Ghats of India.
Papuascincus buergersi is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Papua New Guinea.
