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Snow skinks
Niveoscincus - Hutchinson, Donnellan, Baverstock, Krieg, Simm & Burgin, 1990

Pronunciation: NIV-ee-oh-SKINK-uss
 Etymology: "From the latin nivea, snow, and neo-Latin scincus, a skink, alluding to the cold climates inhabited by these skinks. Genus masculine."1

Taxonomic notes:

Members of this genus were formerly assigned to the genus Leiolopisma. Niveoscincus was erected in 1990.1

Notes:
Statistics: Reproductive modes:
Live-bearing - 8 out of 8 Australian species

Size range:
Smallest Australian species: southern forest cool-skink (Niveoscincus coventryi) at 5 cm
 Longest Australian species: Pedra Branca cool-skink (Niveoscincus palfreymani) at 9.5 cm
Number of Australian species: 8
 

southern forest cool-skink (Niveoscincus coventryi)
Kinglake, Victoria
Photo © Jordan de Jong
southern forest cool-skink (Niveoscincus coventryi) distribution range map Niveoscincus coventryi
Southern forest cool-skink
Year described
(Rawlinson 1975)
Description

alpine cool-skink (Niveoscincus greeni)
Pine Lake, Tasmania
Photo © James Wood
alpine cool-skink (Niveoscincus greeni) distribution range map Niveoscincus greeni
Alpine cool-skink
Year described
(Rawlinson 1975)
Description

metallic cool-skink (Niveoscincus metallicus)
Launceston, Tasmania
Photo © Jordan de Jong
metallic cool-skink (Niveoscincus metallicus) distribution range map Niveoscincus metallicus
Metallic cool-skink
Year described
(O'Shaughnessy 1874)
Description

southern snow skink (Niveoscincus microlepidotus)
Mount Wellington, Tasmaniamania
Photo © Jordan de Jong
southern snow skink (Niveoscincus microlepidotus) distribution range map Niveoscincus microlepidotus
Southern snow skink
Year described
(O'Shaughnessy 1874)
Description

ocellated skink (Niveoscincus ocellatus)
Orford, Tasmania
Photo © James Wood
ocellated skink (Niveoscincus ocellatus) distribution range map Niveoscincus ocellatus
Ocellated skink
Year described
(Gray 1845)
Description

heath cool-skink (Niveoscincus orocryptus)
Hartz Mountain, Tasmania
Photo © David Fischer
heath cool-skink (Niveoscincus orocryptus) distribution range map Niveoscincus orocryptus
Heath cool-skink
Year described
(Hutchinson, Schwaner & Medlock 1988)
Description

No thumbnail available Pedra Branca cool-skink (Niveoscincus palfreymani) distribution range map Niveoscincus palfreymani
Pedra Branca cool-skink
Year described
(Rawlinson 1974)
Description
Dark ground colour with lighter flecks.

Tasmanian tree skink (Niveoscincus pretiosus)
Bruny Island, Tasmania
Photo © Jordan de Jong
Tasmanian tree skink (Niveoscincus pretiosus) distribution range map Niveoscincus pretiosus
Tasmanian tree skink
Year described
(O'Shaughnessy 1874)
Description

References
  1. Hutchinson, MN; Donnellan, SC; Baverstock, PR; Krieg, M.; Simms, S.; & Burgin, S. (1990). Immunological relationships and generic revision of the Australian lizards assigned to the genus Leiolopisma (Scincidae: Lygosominae). Australian Journal of Zoology, 38(5):535-554. - search web for this article
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