AROD > Reptiles / Squamata / Scincidae / Pygmaeascincus
Pygmy skinks
Pygmaeascincus
- Couper & Hoskin, 2014
Pronunciation: | pig-MEE-ah-SKINK-uss | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Etymology: | "From the Latin pygmaea for pygmy. Referring to the very small size of the three species. These skinks, at SVL < 30 mm, are amongst the smallest skinks in the world".1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Taxonomic notes: |
This genus was erected to accommodate three species that didn't really belong in Menetia. |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Notes: |
"Pygmaeascincus is a genus of small litter skinks that is distinguished from all other Australian skinks by the following character states: small size (SVL < 30 mm); limbs short and widely separated when adpressed; digital formula 4/5 (four fingers, five toes) with ≤ 10 supradigital scales on fourth toe; frontoparietals and interparietal fused into a single shield; eyelid preablepharine; supraoculars transverse, ≤ 3, squarish, with only the 1st contacting the frontal."1 Distinguished from Menetia in having the interparietal scale fused with the frontoparietal scales (versus a separate interparietal scale in Menetia).1 |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Statistics: |
Reproductive modes:
Oviparous - 3 out of 3 Australian species Size range: Smallest Australian species: Magnetic Island dwarf skink (Pygmaeascincus sadlieri) at 2.2 cm Longest Australian species: dwarf litter-skink (Pygmaeascincus timlowi) at 2.9 cm |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Number of Australian species: | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
|
- Couper, Patrick J & Hoskin, Conrad J (2014). A new genus to accommodate three skinks currently assigned to Menetia (Lacertilia: Scincidae). Zootaxa, 3884(6):597-599.