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Skinks
Bridled Mabuya, Mabuya vittata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia (paraphyletic) (unranked) Sauria Order: Squamata (paraphyletic) Suborder: Scleroglossa Infraorder: Scincomorpha Family: Scincidae Gray, 1825
Subfamilies
Acontinae Lygosominae Scincinae (probably paraphyletic) For genera, see below.

Skinks are the most diverse group of lizards. They make up the family Scincidae which shares the superfamily or infraorder Scincomorpha with several other lizard families, including Lacertidae (the "true" or wall lizards). Scincidae is the largest of the lizard families with about 1,200 species.

Contents 1 Description 2 Diet 3 Habitat 4 Breeding 5 Predators 6 Gallery 7 Genera 8 References 9 External links

Skinks look roughly like true lizards, but most species have no pronounced neck and relatively small legs. Several genera (e.g., Typhlosaurus) have no limbs at all, others, such as Neoseps, have only reduced limbs. Often, their way of moving resembles that of snakes more than that of other lizards. Skinks usually have long, tapering tails that can be shed and regenerated.

Most skinks are medium sized with a length from the snout to the vent of up to 12 cm, although there are a few that grow to larger sizes, such as the Corucia, which can reach 35 cm from snout to vent.

Skinks are generally carnivorous and largely eat insects, including crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars. They also eat spiders, earthworms, snails, slugs, isopods, other lizards, and small rodents. Some species, particularly those favored as home pets, have a more varied diet and can be maintained on a regimen of roughly 60% vegetables/leaves/fruit and 40% meat and meat products (cat or dog food).^[1]

Skinks are found in a variety of habitats worldwide. Some species are endangered.

Many species are good burrowers. There are more terrestrial or fossorial (burying) species than arboreal (tree-climbing) or aquatic species. Some are "sand swimmers", especially the desert species, such as the Mole skink in Florida. Most skinks are diurnal, so they are active during the day. They like to crawl out on rocks or logs to bask (soak up heat from the sun) during the day.

During the breeding season, some types of skink will exhibit orange or red markings to indicate sexual maturity. About 55% of the skinks are oviparous, that is, they lay eggs in small clutches. The other 45% are ovoviviparous, giving birth to living offspring.

Raccoons, foxes, possums, snakes, cats, dogs, hawks and kookaburras all prey on skinks.

Blotched Blue-Tongued Skink	Small backyard skink, Sydney, Australia	Skink, photographed at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida USA 2007	Skink. Photographed by Patricia Hurtt at Florida Caverns State Park, Florida USA 2007
Skink. Photographed by Patricia Hurtt at Falling Waters State Park, Florida USA 2007

Many large genera, Mabuya for example, are still insufficiently studied, and systematics is at times controversial, see e.g. the taxonomy of the Western Skink (Eumeces skiltonianus).

Ablepharus Acontias Acontophiops Afroablepharus Amphiglossus Androngo Anomalopus Apterygodon Asymblepharus Ateuchosaurus Barkudia Bartleia Bassiana Brachymeles Caledoniscincus Calyptotis Carlia Cautula Chabanaudia Chalcides Chalcidoseps Coeranoscincus Cophoscincopus Corucia Cryptoblepharus Cryptoscincus

Ctenotus Cyclodina Cyclodomorphus Dasia Davewakeum Egernia Emoia Eremiascincus Eroticoscincus Eugongylus Eulamprus Eumeces Eumecia Euprepes Eurylepis Feylinia Fojia Geomyersia Geoscincus Glaphyromorphus Gnypetoscincus Gongylomorphus Gongylus Graciliscincus Haackgreerius Hemiergis

Hemisphaeriodon Isopachys Janetaescincus Lacertaspis Lacertoides Lacertus Lamprolepis Lampropholis Lankascincus Larutia Leiolopisma Leptoseps Leptosiaphos Lerista Lioscincus Lipinia Lobulia Lubuya Lygisaurus Lygosoma Mabuya Macroscincus Marmorosphax Melanoseps Menetia

Mesoscincus Mochlus Morethia Nangura Nannoscincus Neoseps Nessia Niveoscincus Notoscincus Novoeumeces Oligosoma Ophiomorus Ophioscincus Pamelaescincus Panaspis Papuascincus Parachalcides Paracontias Paralipinia Parvoscincus Phoboscincus Plestiodon Prasinohaema Proablepharus Proscelotes

Pseudoacontias Pseudemoia Pygomeles Riopa Ristella Saiphos Saproscincus Scelotes Scincella Scincopus Scincus Scolecoseps Sepsina Sigaloseps Simiscincus Sphenomorphus (probably paraphyletic) Sphenops Tachygia Tiliqua Tribolonotus Tropidophorus Tropidoscincus Typhlacontias Typhlosaurus Voeltzkowia

• De Vosjoli, Philippe ((1993): Prehensile-Tailed Skinks. Advanced Vivarium Systems. ISBN 1-882770-24-2

• Description of Skinks at the TIGR.
• The Five-lined Skink
• The Lizards of Missouri
• Observations on Mating Behavior of the Solomon Island Skink
• Five-lined Skink - Eumeces fasciatus Species account from the Iowa Reptile and Amphibian Field Guide