| Silvascincus murrayi | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Scincidae |
| Genus: | Silvascincus |
| Species: | S. murrayi |
| Binomial name | |
| Silvascincus murrayi (Boulenger, 1887) | |
The blue-speckled forest-skink (Silvascincus murrayi) is a species of skink found in Queensland and New South Wales in Australia. [2]
The specific name, murrayi, is in honor of Canadian oceanographer, John Murray. [3]
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 mostly found in different habitats except arctic and subarctic regions.
Eulamprus is a genus of lizards, commonly known as water skinks, in the subfamily Lygosominae of the family Scincidae. The genus is native to Australia.
The prickly skink, or prickly forest skink, is a morphologically and genetically distinctive species of skink endemic to rainforests of the Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area, in north-eastern Australia. Unlike most small skinks, which have smooth scales, this species has rough, ridged and pointed scales. These keeled scales may be an adaptation to its high-rainfall habitat, to its microhabitat in rotting logs, or to camouflage it when moving through forest leaf-litter.
Nangura spinosa, the Nangur spiny skink or Nangur skink, is a lizard known from two patches of dry-rainforest in South East Queensland, Australia. It was formerly placed in the monotypic genus Nangura but was moved to Concinnia following the molecular phylogenetic studies of O'Connor & Moritz (2003) and Skinner and co-authors (2013). It was returned to Nangura in 2018. This species is known only from two localities; the type locality, now in Nangura National Park, and a much smaller isolated population in Oakview National Park and adjacent Oakview State Forest. The total distribution spans just 42 square kilometers, within which this species occupies less than 4 square kilometers, with an estimated population size of less than 200 individuals. It is threatened by invasive species including cats, pigs, dogs, foxes and cane toads, by the invasive plant species Lantana camara, which increases fire risk and changes forest structure, and in some sites by logging and road maintenance. Consequently, it is listed as critically endangered under the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 It resembles Gnypetoscincus queenslandiae in its spiny scales and like that species it is live bearing. Along with minor differences in scalation, the Nangur spiny skink differs from other Australian Sphenomorphid skinks in its karyotype of 2n=28 chromosomes, where most others have 2n=30. It is also unlike related species in that it lives in burrows, which occur in small colonies through the dry rainforest habitat. There is some indication of parental care in this species, with adults sharing burrows with juveniles.
The Blue Mountains water skink or Blue Mountains swamp-skink is a species of skink in the family Scincidae. An endangered species, it is found only in restricted parts of the mountains of southeastern Australia.
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.
Alfred's blind skink, also known commonly as Alfred's dibamid lizard, Alfred's limbless skink, and Taylor's limbless skink, is a species of blind lizard in the family Dibamidae. The species is endemic to Southeast Asia.
Carinascincus metallicus, the metallic cool-skink or metallic skink is a species of skink in the family Scincidae. It is endemic to Australia, found in southern Victoria, as well as in Tasmania where it is the most widespread and common lizard, occurring on many offshore islands in Bass Strait as well as the mainland. It gives birth to live young. It is highly variable in colour and pattern, and may be a complex of closely related species.
The southern water skink, cool-temperate water-skink, highland water skink, or Dreeite water skink is a medium-sized species of skink that is endemic to Australia. These skinks are found in New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria as well as on Tasmania's Rodondo Island in the Bass Strait. They are viviparous, mating in spring, and giving birth to live young in mid to late summer.
The Satinay sand skink or Fraser Island sand skink is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae.
Eulamprus quoyii, more commonly known as the eastern water skink, eastern water-skink, or golden water skink, is a viviparous species of diurnal skink. Eulamprus quoyii belongs to the family Scincidae and is considered a common garden animal in Australia. The skink is endemic to Australia and found only along the east coast of the country. It makes its home in creekside habitats along the east coast of Australia and in urban garden areas with high amounts of moisture. The species can be identified by the twin, long yellow stripes that run along its body from the top of the eye, as well as by several more specific character derived states. The pale yellow dorsolateral stripes are most likely where its common name, the golden water skink, is derived. Like other ectotherms, the skink can often be seen basking in the sun on rocky outcroppings in order to regulate its body temperature. Its diet mainly consists of both aquatic and terrestrial insects, tadpoles and small amounts of plant matter. The skink both hunts for food and scavenges when necessary and is considered an opportunistic feeder. It is prey to larger lizards, snakes, cats and birds and so will often be seen moving quickly into hiding when other organisms are present.
Scincella vandenburghi, also known commonly as the Korean skink, the Tsushima ground skink, and the Tsushima smooth skink, is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to East Asia
Cryptoblepharus egeriae, the Christmas Island blue-tailed shining-skink, blue-tailed skink, or Christmas Island blue-tailed skink, is a species of skink, a lizard native to Australia's Christmas Island, and is not closely related to the Plestiodon skinks of North America, whose juveniles are known for their blue tails. It is relatively small with a black body with yellow stripes going to a bright blue tail. It is currently extinct in the wild.
Concinnia is a genus of skinks in the subfamily Lygosominae.
Silvascincus is a genus of skinks, lizards in the family Scincidae. Both species in the genus are endemic to Australia. They were previously placed in the genus Eulamprus.
The orange-speckled forest-skink, monotypic in the genus Tumbunascincus, is endemic to Queensland in Australia.
Sphenomorphinae is a large subfamily of skinks, lizards within the family Scincidae. The genera in this subfamily were previously found to belong to the Sphenomorphus group in the large subfamily Lygosominae.
Silvascincus tryoni, the Border Ranges blue-spectacled skink or forest skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. It is endemic to the McPherson Range bordering New South Wales and Queensland, Australia.
The warm-temperate water-skink, Heatwole's water skink or Yellow-bellied water skink is a species of skink found in New South Wales and Victoria in Australia. It lives in rocky habitats, preferring those near water such as bogs, swamps, creek and river margins. It can also be found on dry and wet forests, open woodlands and heathlands, commonly seen basking on waterside logs and rocks.
The alpine meadow-skink or alpine water skink is a species of skink found in New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria in Australia.
