Plestiodon

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Plestiodon
Plestiodon.jpg
Plestiodon fasciatus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Scincidae
Subfamily: Scincinae
Genus: Plestiodon
A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1839

Plestiodon is a genus of lizards in the family Scincidae (skinks). The genus contains many species formerly classified under the genus Eumeces , except those now placed in Mesoscincus . They are secretive, agile animals with a cylindrical body covered with smooth, shiny scales. They are distributed from East Asia to throughout North America from southern Canada south to Mexico, including oceanic islands such as Bermuda.

Defensive mechanism

The conspicuous coloring of species of Plestiodon is a survival trait: it attracts a predator's attention to the tail of the animal, which will break off when grabbed. A skink thus often manages to escape and hide under some rock, log, or fallen leaves while the predator still contemplates the wildly thrashing severed tail. (This is an instance of what is called autotomy: voluntarily shedding a body part in order to escape, and later re generating the body part.) After the tail regenerates, it usually has the same color as the rest of the body and is typically shorter than the original tail. In some species, regrown tails are pinkish. A regrown tail has a cartilaginous rod for support instead of vertebrae.

Reproduction

Plestiodon are all[ citation needed ] oviparous. The female lays eggs once a year after the breeding season in spring. The clutch size varies and is typically around 5 to 10 eggs. The hatchlings appear in late summer.

Thermoregulation

Like other reptiles, Plestiodon skinks are "cold-blooded" they are ectothermic animals: their metabolism cannot regulate their body temperature. To warm up, they often bask in the sun. In colder climates, they hibernate in winter in burrows below the frost line. In hot climates, they are active mainly in the morning and evening, staying under cover during the hottest hours of the day to avoid overheating.

Systematics

Recently two taxonomic revisions have been made regarding the 19th century genus Eumeces . They both resulted in similar results; the genus is paraphyletic and must be "sliced up" into several different genera. Griffith et al. (2000) proposed that the type species for Eumeces, E. pavimentatus, which is considered by many to be a subspecies of Eumeces schneiderii , should be changed to Lacerta fasciata, so that the genus name Eumeces would stay with the most species-rich clade. However this petition has not been verified by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. Schmitz et al. argued that Griffith et al. violated the Code and rejected the proposal on good grounds. Thus only the African species of the Eumeces schneiderii group still belong to the genus Eumeces .

Species that are now in Plestiodon: [1]

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

Species that are now in Eurylepis :

Species that are now in Mesoscincus :

Plestiodon brevirostris group

The Plestiodon brevirostris group consists of 14 species. [2]

Related Research Articles

<i>Eumeces</i> Genus of lizards

The genus Eumeces comprises four African to Middle-Eastern skink species.

Feylinia is a genus of skinks. It is usually placed in the monotypic subfamily Feylininae.

<i>Mesoscincus</i> Genus of lizards

Mesoscincus is a genus of lizards, comprising three species of skinks native to Mexico and Central America. The species were formerly included in the genus Eumeces.

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

The western skink is a species of small, smooth-scaled lizard with relatively small limbs. It measures about 100 to 210 mm in total length. It is one of seven species of lizards in Canada. They spend much of their day basking in the sun. Their diet ranges widely, including spiders and beetles. Western skinks will bite if grasped and will flee if they feel threatened. It is a common but secretive species whose range extends from southern British Columbia and throughout Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming and into western Montana and northern Arizona and Missouri. They can also live in some areas of Texas It is widespread in northern California but primarily restricted to the coast in central and southern California. Found in a variety of habitats, this lizard is most common in early successional stages or open areas of late successional stages. Heavy brush and densely forested areas are generally avoided. Western skinks are found from sea level to at least 2,130 m (7,000 ft). This diurnal reptile is active during the warm seasons.

<i>Plestiodon laticeps</i> Species of reptile

The broad-headed skink or broadhead skink is species of lizard, endemic to the southeastern United States. The broadhead skink occurs in sympatry with the five-lined skink and Southeastern five-lined skink in forest of the Southeastern United States. All three species are phenotypically similar throughout much of their development and were considered a single species prior to the mid-1930s.

<i>Plestiodon gilberti</i> Species of lizard

Plestiodon gilberti, commonly known as Gilbert's skink, is a species of heavy-bodied medium-sized lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, and grows to about 7 to 12 cm in total length.

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

Eumeces schneiderii, commonly known as Schneider's skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Central Asia, Western Asia, and North Africa. There are five recognized subspecies.

Eurylepis poonaensis, the Poona skink, is a species of skink found only in Maharashtra, India.

<i>Eurylepis taeniolata</i> Species of lizard

Eurylepis taeniolata, the ribbon-sided skink, alpine Punjab skink, or yellow-bellied mole skink, is a species of skink found in Central Asia, South Asia, and West Asia. It is the type species of the genus Eurylepis.

<i>Eumeces algeriensis</i> Species of lizard

Eumeces algeriensis, commonly called the Algerian skink, Algerian orange-tailed skink, Berber's skink, in French eumece d'Algérie, or in Spanish bulán, is a species of skink in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the Maghreb region of North Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scincinae</span> Subfamily of lizards

Scincinae is a subfamily of lizards. The subfamily contains 33 genera, and the genera contain a combined total of 284 species, commonly called skinks. The systematics is at times controversial. The group is probably paraphyletic. It is one of three subfamilies of the family Scincidae, the other two being Acontinae and Lygosominae.

The Tepalcatepec skink is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Mexico.

<i>Plestiodon barbouri</i> Species of reptile

Plestiodon barbouri, also known commonly as Barbour's blue-tailed skink and Barbour's eyelid skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the Ryukyu Islands (Japan).

Plestiodon copei, also known commonly as Cope's skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Mexico.

<i>Plestiodon dicei</i> Species of reptile

Plestiodon dicei, or Dice's short-nosed skink, is a species of lizard which is endemic to Mexico. It was named in honor of Lee R. Dice, who collected the holotype in 1930 while conducting a faunal survey in the Sierra de San Carlos, Tamaulipas, Mexico. It was considered a subspecies of Plestiodon brevirostris for many decades. Plestiodon dicei occurs in northeastern Mexico, in the Sierra Madre Oriental in Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, San Luis Potosi, and Tamaulipas, with isolated populations in the Sierra de San Carlos and the Sierra de Tamaulipas.

<i>Plestiodon dugesii</i> Species of reptile

Plestiodon dugesii, also known commonly as Dugès' skink, Duges's skink, and eslabon in Mexican Spanish, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Mexico.

<i>Plestiodon japonicus</i> Species of reptile

Plestiodon japonicus is a species of lizard which is endemic to Japan. The IUCN lists the species as least concern.

<i>Plestiodon latiscutatus</i> Species of reptile

The Okada's five-lined skink or Far Eastern skink is a species of lizard which is endemic to Japan.

<i>Plestiodon lynxe</i> Species of reptile

Plestiodon lynxe, also known commonly as the oak forest skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Mexico. There are three recognized subspecies.

Plestiodon longiartus is a species of skink which is endemic to Mexico.

References

  1. Genus Plestiodon at The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  2. 1 2 García-Vázquez, Uri O.; Pavón-Vázquez, Carlos J.; Feria-Ortiz, Manuel; Nieto Montes de Oca, Adrián (2021). "A New Species of Blue-Tailed Skink (Scincidae: Plestiodon) from the Sierra Madre del Sur, Mexico". Herpetologica. 77 (1). doi:10.1655/0018-0831-77.1.85. ISSN   0018-0831. S2CID   232326866.

Further reading