Kishinoue's giant skink

Kishinoue's giant skink
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Scincidae
Genus: Plestiodon
Species:
P. kishinouyei
Binomial name
Plestiodon kishinouyei
Stejneger, 1901
Synonyms

Eumeces kishinouyei

Kishinoue's giant skink (Plestiodon kishinouyei), also known as the Japanese skink,[1] is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae, endemic to the southern Ryukyu Islands of Japan.

The species name is a tribute to Japanese fisheries biologist Kamakichi Kishinouye (岸上 鎌吉, 1867–1929).

Description

Plestiodon kishinouyei is about 30–40 cm in total length (including tail), with a snout to vent length of 14.0–17.2 cm. It is the largest member of its widely distributed, speciose genus,[2] and thus appears to be an example of island gigantism.

References

  1. ^ a b Kidera, N.; Ota, H. (2017). "Plestiodon kishinouyei". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T8217A96877356. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T8217A96877356.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. ^ Kurita, K.; Toda, M. (2017). "The role of ecological factors in determining phylogeographic and population genetic structure of two sympatric island skinks (Plestiodon kishinouyei and P. stimpsonii)". Genetica. 145 (2): 223–234. doi:10.1007/s10709-017-9960-3. PMID 28271307. S2CID 12219889.


Stub icon

This skink article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.