Added 12 January 2026.
The genus Bassiana is a medium-sized genus distributed almost entirely within the Philippines, apart from one species found in Malaysia and another in Thailand. Until the twenty-first century it was considered to be composed of 16 species, but in recent years this number has been increased to 42.
Boulenger characterised the genus as follows: palatine bones not meeting on the median line of the palate, which is toothless. Lateral teeth conical. Eye small; upper eyelid not developed, lower more or less transparent. Ear distinct or hidden. Nostril in a very small nasal, between the rostral, the first labial, the supranasal, and, sometimes, a postnasal; prefrontals, frontoparietals, and interparietal present. Body much elongate; limbs short or rudimentary.
Brown and Alcala (1995) note that Brachymeles “… are rarely if ever seen except when one looks beneath the duff [decaying vegetable matter underneath trees], rotting logs, or in top soil.”
I am not aware of anyone having kept and bred these lizards in captivity, and none of the popular sources of captive husbandry information mention them. Export of wildlife from the Philippines is carefully controlled, but the main reason for the obscurity of these skinks within the hobby may simply be due to a perceived lack of interest in legless skinks.
We acknowledge our debt to the Reptile Database for much of the information, especially common names and distribution data, on this page. They have more detailed information on the distribution of the individual Brachymeles species.
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QUICK INDEX |
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B. apus, Hikida’s Short-Legged Skink, Bornean Legless Skink |
B. bicolandia, Bicol Slender Skink |
B. boholensis, Two-Coloured Short-Legged Skink |
B. boholensis, Bohol Short-Legged Skink |
B. bonitae, Stub-Limbed Burrowing Skink, Pretty Short-Legged Skink |
B. boulengeri, Boulenger's Short-legged Skink |
B. brevidactylus, Southern Bicol Slender Skink |
B. burksi, Burks’ Burrowing Skink |
B. cebuensis, Rabor's Short-legged Skink |
B. dalawangdaliri, Tablas Slender Skink |
B. elerae, Common Short-legged Skink |
B. gracilis, Graceful Short-legged Skink |
B. hilong, Hilong Short-legged Skink |
B. ilocandia, Ilokano Slender Skink |
B. isangdaliri, Aurora Slender Skink |
B. kadwa, Jessi’s Slender Skink |
B. libayani, Lapinig Islands’ Slender Skink |
B. ligtas, Lubang Slender Skink |
B. mapalanggaon, Masbate Slender Skink |
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B. mindorensis, Mindoro Short-legged Skink |
B. miriamae, Miriam’s Skink |
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B. muntingkamay, Caraballo Mountains Loam-Swimming Skink |
B. orientalis, Southern Burrowing Skink |
B. paeforum, PAEF Slender Skink |
B. pathfinderi, PAEF Slender Skink |
B. samad, Eastern Visayas Slender Skink |
B. samarensis, Brown's Short-Legged Skink |
B. schadenbergi, Schadenberg’s Burrowing Skink |
B. suluensis, Graceful Short-Legged Skink |
B. talinis, Duméril's Short-legged Skink |
B. taylori, Taylor's Short-legged Skink |
B. tiboliorum, Western Mindanao Slender Skink |
B. tridactylus, Three-fingered Short-Legged Skink |
B. tungaoi, Tungao’s slender skink |
B. vermis, Taylor's Short-Legged Skink |
B. vindumi, Jens’ Slender Skink |
B. vulcani, Camiguin Sur Slender Skink |
B. wrighti, Wright's Short-legged Skink |
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Scientific Name |
Common Name |
Distribution |
Size |
Notes |
Brachymeles |
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Hikida’s Short-Legged Skink, Bornean Legless Skink |
Malaysia (N Borneo, Sabah) |
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Found also on Mt Kinabalu. Diurnal and fossorial, lives in montane forests and agricultural areas at higher elevations Description: limbless; ear opening absent. Scalation details: postnasals absent; prefrontals separated; frontal longer than wide; frontoparietals separated; 2 supraciliaries; 6 supralabials, 5 infralabials; single large postmental; lower eyelid with single large scale; dossals and ventrals subequal; 22-24 scale rows at midbody; 108-113 ventrals; 5-8 enlarged preanal scales. Tail: thick, rounded, blunt-tipped. Coloration: dorsum reddish-brown, darkening posteriorly; snout-tip lighter; tail tip dark brown to reddish-black; ocular scales darker; venter immaculate cream. Reproduction: ovoviviparous; clutch of 4. [SOURCE: Brown & Alcala 1995, Das] |
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Bicol Slender Skink |
Philippines (Luzon) |
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Two-Coloured Short-Legged Skink |
Australia (West Australia, Tasmania, poss. South Australia) |
TL 31.5 cm; SVL approx 15 – 15.5 cm |
Description: large species of Brachymeles; form slender; head scarcely broader than neck region; limbs much reduced, pentadactyl, with 5 clawed toes present on each foot; digits short, fourth toe slightly longer than third; 5-6 lamellae beneath the fourth toe of the hind limb. Ear-opening distinct, small, roundish. Scalation details: supranasals in contact behind the rostral; supranasals and frontoparietals in contact; prefrontals barely to moderately separated; postnasal present; frontal slightly longer than broad; frontoparietals forming a median suture; parietals forming a suture behind the interparietal; 4th supralabial most anterior one to enter the orbit; 5 supraoculars; 28 scales round the middle of the body; 92-94 rows of scale along the vertebral line between the parietals and the base of the tail. Coloration: blackish brown above, dorsal 10 or 10 and 2 half-rows of scales are dark reddish brown; yellowish white lower lateral surfaces and venter; very light creamy white to yellowish in preservative. [SOURCE: Boulenger, Brown 1956, Brown & Rabor 1967] |
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Bohol Short-Legged Skink |
Philippines (Bohol Island, southern Luzon) |
SVL approx 6.5 – 9.5 cm |
Formerly considered a subspecies of B. gracilis. Description: a moderate-sized form of Brachymeles; limbs moderate; eye moderate. Scalation details: supranasals separated for sample of 20 specimens; usually the 5th (not the 4th, as for B. gracilis and B. boulengeri) supralabial the most anterior one to enter orbit; usually the anterior loreal separated from the first upper labial; 26-28 midbody scale rows; 62-66 mid-dorsal scale rows between parietals and base of tail. Coloration: light dorsolateral stripe prominent; ventral scales usually without dark spots or blotches. [SOURCE: Brown & Rabor 1967] |
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Stub-Limbed Burrowing Skink, Pretty Short-Legged Skink |
Philippines, including Luzon, Polillo and Mindoro |
SVL approx 5.5-8.5 cm |
Description: form very slender; the distance between the end of the snout and the fore limb is contained four times and a half in the distance between fore and hind limbs. Limbs reduced to minute, stump-like rudiments, not divided into distinct digits; digits usually absent, or one very short stub may be present (populations of the Polillo Islands);. Ear hidden. Scalation details: rostral in contact with the frontonasal; no postnasal; supranasals and prefrontals not in contact; supranasal in contact with the first labial; frontal large, as long as broad, usually in contact with the interparietal; parietals forming a suture behind the interparietal; frontoparietals only rarely in contact; 2 frenals; 4 supraoculars; usually 1 pair of nuchals; 4th upper labial entering the orbit. 22-24 scales round the middle of the body; 99-113 scale rows along middorsal line between parietals and base of tail. Coloration: uniform brown; venter scarcely lighter than dorsum. [SOURCE: Boulenger, Brown 1956, Brown and Rabor 1967] |
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Boulenger's Short-Legged Skink |
Philippines (inc. Mindoro and Luzon) |
SVL approx 6.5 – 9.5 cm |
Formerly considered a subspecies of B. gracilis. Description: moderate-sized form of Brachymeles; limbs moderate; eye moderate. Scalation details: supranasals separated; usually the 4th labial the most anterior one to enter the orbit; postnasal present; anterior loreal separated from the first upper labial; 26-28 midbody scale rows; 64-66 mid-dorsal scale rows between parietals and base of tail. Coloration: dorsolateral stripe present; ventral scales relatively free of dark spots or blotches. [SOURCE: Brown & Rabor 1967] |
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Southern Bicol Slender Skink |
Philippines (inc. Luzon) |
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Burks’ Burrowing Skink |
Philippines (inc. Mindoro) |
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Description: rather worm-like in appearance; head bluntly pointed; eyes small; ear completely hidden; legs reduced to scaled stump-like rudiments with no indication of digits. Scalation details: rostral large, visible above for nearly half its length, rather broadly in contact with frontonasal; nostril in a minute nasal between 1st labial, supranasal and rostral; supranasal in contact with largest frenal and first labial; these scales on point of snout thickened; frontonasal a little broader than long, narrowly in contact with frontal, which is slightly longer than broad and in contact with 1st and 2nd supraoculars; prefrontals rather rectangular, touching two frenals, 1st supraciliary, and 1st supraocular; 4 supraoculars, of which 2nd widest and 4th smallest; 4-5 supraciliaries; frontoparietals somewhat rectangular, little larger than prefrontals, touching two supraoculars; interparietal a little longer than broad, narrowly in contact with the frontal; parietals more than twice as long as wide, in contact behind interparietal, touching two supraoculars, two temporals and an elongate nuchal; two frenals, a small preocular before eye; no postnasal; 6 supralabials, of which 4th enters orbit; 6 sublabials; mental moderate, thickened, wider than high; an unpaired postmental, followed by 3 pairs of chin shields, none of which are in contact, 2nd pair widest; two temporals between parietal and 6th labial; 24 scale rows; 2 distinctly enlarged preanals. [SOURCE: Taylor 1917] |
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Rabor's Short-Legged Skink |
Philippines (Cebu) |
SVL approx 5.5 – 7.5 cm |
Description: small, slender; limbs much reduced. Scalation details: frontoparietals usually in contact, separating frontal from interparietals; no postnasal; five supraoculars. Coloration (in preservative): Dorsum and upper lateral surfaces brownish; the basal part of each scale with three or four small blackish spots extending out from which are numerous brown lines more-or-less fused. The distal part of each scale is usually almost without pigment; venter about the same shade of brown but each scale usually more uniformly pigmented. [SOURCE: Brown and Rabor 1967] |
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Catanduañes Slender Skink |
Philippines (Cantanduañes Island, E of Luzon) |
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Tablas Slender Skink |
Philippines (Tablas Island) |
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Common Short-Legged Skink |
Philippines (Luzon) |
TL approx 10-13 cm; SVL approx 6.5-7 cm |
Description: form very slender; limbs greatly reduced with vestiges of 4 clawed toes on both fore and hind limbs; no ear opening. Scalation details: rostral slightly wider than deep, bending backward somewhat over end of snout, broadly in contact with frontonasal; no postnasal; internasals reduced, separated, in contact with first labials; frontonasal nearly as long as broad, narrowly in contact with frontal; frontal longer than broad, produced to a point in front, in contact with 2 supraoculars; frontoparietals quadrangular, moderate, separate; frontal touches diamond-shaped interparietal; parietals elongate, three times as long as wide; nasal minute, a mere rim around nostril; 2 frenals, 1st higher than wide, 2nd almost square; 1 large preocular; 5 supraoculars, of which 2nd widest; 6 supraciliaries; 6 supralabials, of which 1st largest, 4th enters orbit; 1 pair of nuchals; temporals somewhat enlarged, the largest bordering parietal; mental quadrangular, wider than deep; 1 postmental, wider than deep; 1st and 2nd pairs of chin shields divided by single, median, much-enlarged scale, 2nd pair somewhat broader than 1st pair; 3rd pair of chin shields divided by 3 scales; 22 scale rows around the middle of the body, 24 around anterior part of body; 83-85 scale rows along the middorsal line between the parietals and the base of the tail. Coloration (in alcohol): very light brown above and on sides, each scale with a dark brown spot, which forms longitudinal dotted lines on each scale row; dots below smaller and not so distinct as above. [SOURCE: Brown 1956, Taylor 1917] |
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Graceful Short-Legged Skink |
Philippines (Mindanao) |
SVL approx 5.5-8.5 cm |
Description: moderate-sized form of Brachymeles; limbs moderate, pentadactyl; fourth toe slightly longer than third; eye small. Ear-opening distinct, small, roundish. Scalation details: rostral in contact with the frontonasal; postnasal present or absent; supranasals usually rather widely separated; frontal not or but very slightly longer than broad; frontoparietals forming a median suture; parietals not meeting behind the interparietal; fourth (usually) supralabial entering the orbit; anterior loreal usually in contact with 1st supralabial; 28 or 30 scales round the middle of the body; 64-68 mid-dorsal scale rows between parietal and base of tail. Coloration: dark brown above, yellowish brown on the sides and below, each scale frequently with a brown dot; upper lateral surfaces usually appear darker than dorsum; ventral scales usually with some dark spots or blotches. [SOURCE: Boulenger, Brown & Rabor 1967] |
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Hilong Short-Legged Skink |
Philippines (Mindanao) |
SVL approx 6-7 cm |
Description: a small, moderately slender Brachymeles; breadth of head equal to or slightly less than diameter of body; limbs well developed, pentadactyl; ear opening small. Scalation details: rostral large, tapering posteriorly, usually rather broadly in contact with the prefrontal; supranasals separate; postnasal present; two frenals, 4th supralabial most anterior one to enter the orbit; prefrontals rather narrowly separated; frontoparietals in contact or separate; interparietal large broadly rounded posteriorly; parietals in broad contact; nuchals absent; 5 supraoculars; 26-30 midbody scale rows; 67-71 mid-dorsal scale rows between parietals and base of the tail; 7-8 lamellae beneath the fourth toe and 2-3 lamellae beneath the first toe of the hind limb. Coloration (in preservation): dorsum and upper lateral surfaces dark brown, usually with a faint, irregular margined dorsolateral stripe evident, at least anteriorly; venter lighter brown, but individual scales, especially beneath the head and along the mid-ventral area, with small blackish spots along the posterior margin. [SOURCE: Brown & Rabor 1967] |
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Ilokano Slender Skink |
Philippines (Luzon) |
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Aurora Slender Skink |
Philippines (Luzon) |
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Jessi’s Slender Skink |
Philippines (Luzon, Babuyan Islands) |
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Lapinig Islands’ Slender Skink |
Philippines |
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Lubang Slender Skink |
Philippines (Mindoro) |
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Philippines (Luzon) |
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Philippines (Luzon, Cantanduañes Island) |
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Masbate Slender Skink |
Philippines (Masbate) |
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Mindoro Short-Legged Skink |
Philippines (Mindoro) |
SVL approx 8-10.5 cm |
Formerly considered a subspecies of B. gracilis. Description: moderately large form of Brachymeles; limbs moderate; eye moderate. Scalation details: supranasals in contact or not; the fifth upper labial the most anterior one to enter the orbit; the anterior loreal separated from the first upper labial; 26-28 midbody scale rows; 62-65 mid-dorsal scale rows between parietals and base of the tail. Coloration: a faint to moderate dorsolateral light stripe present or absent; ventral scales usually with some dark spots or blotches. [SOURCE: Brown & Rabor 1967] |
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Philippines (Cantanduañes Island) |
SVL approx 5.5 – 6.5 cm (m), 4-5 cm (f) |
Description: no external vestige of limbs; eye relatively large; no ear opening. Scalation details: frontoparietals in moderate to broad contact; rostral broader than high, having narrow contact with prefrontal; supranasals large, narrowly separated at midline; frontonasal broader than long; prefrontals narrow, narrowly separated at midline; frontal about as broad as long, in contact with two anterior supraoculars; five supraoculars, separated from eye by five or six supraciliaries; frontoparietals in relatively broad contact; interparietal large; parietals in contact; one pair of narrow nuchals (Fig. 1); no postnasal; anterior loreal larger than posterior, in contact with first and second upper labials; six upper labials, anterior largest and fourth beneath centre of eye; six lower labials; pair of contacting shields behind postmental. Coloration (in preservative): Dorsum light brown to chocolate brown, (holotype lightest in colour); ventral surface almost same colour as dorsum for the holotype, but somewhat more greyish brown in paratypes. This colour pattern results from the pale margins of the ventral scales. [SOURCE: Brown & Alcala, 1995] |
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Miriam’s Skink |
E/C Thailand |
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Caraballo Mountains Loam-Swimming Skink |
Philippines (Luzon) |
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Southern Burrowing Skink |
Philippines (inc. Leyte, Bohol and Mindanao) |
SVL approx 9-10 cm |
Formerly considered a subspecies of B. schadenbergi. Description: a large Brachymeles; limbs well developed; Scalation details: supranasals in contact or not; anterior loreal sometimes separated from 1st supralabial by the postnasal; 4th supralabial usually most anterior one to enter the orbit; usually 9 lamellae beneath the 4th toe of the hind foot; usually 28 or more midbody scale rows; usually 68-72 mid-dorsal scale rows between the parietals and the base of the tail. [SOURCE: Brown & Rabor 1967] |
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PAEF Slender Skink |
Philippines (Leyte) |
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Pathfinder Short-Legged Skink |
Philippines (Mindanao) |
SVL approx 6 cm |
Description: form slender; limbs greatly reduced with vestiges of five clawed toes on the fore limbs and four on the hind limbs; ear opening minute. Scalation details: no postnasal; 22-23 scale rows around the middle of the body; 59-67 scale rows along the vertebral line between the parietals and the base of the tail. [SOURCE: Brown 1956] |
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Eastern Visayas Slender Skink |
Philippines (Samar, Leyte) |
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Brown's Short-Legged Skink |
Philippines (Samar, Luzon) |
SVL approx 5.5 – 6.5 cm |
Description: very slender with very short limbs, possessing usually only 2 (sometimes 1 or 3) reduced digits on both the fore and hind limbs; head little wider than the body, tapering anteriorly to the rounded snout; no external evidence of ear. Scalation details: rostral large, in broad contact with the frontonasal; nostril in a small nasal; no postnasal; supranasals widely separated in the midline; prefrontals of moderate size, widely separated; 5 supraoculars, anterior two in contact with the frontal; 6 superciliaries; frontoparietals in contact; interparietal large, round-pointed posteriorly; parietals in contact posterior to the interparietal; a pair of nuchals which are narrower than the parietals; two frenals, anterior slightly longer and wider than the posterior ; first upper labial largest, fourth beneath the orbit; 22 midbody scale rows; 86 scale rows along the vertebral line between the parietals and the base of the tail. Coloration (in preservative): dorsal and lateral surfaces are dark yellowish brown, each scale generally being dark spotted posteriorly; the venter is only slightly lighter.[SOURCE: Brown 1956] |
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Schadenberg’s Burrowing Skink |
Philippines (inc. Sulu Archipelago and Mindanao) |
TL approx 20 cm, SVL approx 8.5-12 cm |
Description: large form of Brachymeles; limbs well developed, pentadactyl; third toe slightly longer than fourth. The fore limb, when stretched forwards, does not reach the ear. Ear-opening distinct, small, roundish. Scalation details: supranasals usually in contact behind the rostral; a postnasal; frontal longer than broad, frequently in contact with the interparietal; parietals normally not meeting behind the interparietal; 5th (usually) supralabial entering the orbit; anterior loreal may or may not be separated from the first upper labial by the postnasal. 24-28 scales round the middle of the body; 67-72 (usually) mid-dorsal scale rows between the parietals and the base of the tail. 8 or fewer lamellae beneath 4th toe of hind foot. Coloration: yellowish brown, each scale of the eight median dorsal rows with a dark brown spot; some of the scales on the flanks with a brown dot; loreal region and a band from eye to ear closely brown-spotted. [SOURCE: Boulenger, Brown & Rabor 1967] |
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Graceful Short-Legged Skink |
Philippines (Sulu Archipelago) |
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Duméril's Short-legged Skink |
Philippines (various islands inc. Negros and Tablas) |
SVL approx 11-14 cm |
Description: large species of Brachymeles; limbs pentadactyl. Scalation details: supranasals usually in contact; five supraoculars; usually 30-32 midbody scale rows; 67-72 mid-dorsal scale rows between parietals and base of the tail; one or two (rarely three) scales separating the second pair of chin shields; usually six full and two half dorsal scale rows. Coloration: dorsal scales rows are dark brown or reddish brown in colour, bordered laterally by a more or less distinct light stripe which is usually one full and two half scale rows in breadth. This stripe is distinct anteriorly, where it is extended forward onto the supraocular region, even when it merges posteriorly into the lighter color of the lower lateral surfaces. [SOURCE: Brown & Rabor 1967] |
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Taylor's Short-legged Skink |
Philippines (inc. Negros, Cebu and Panay) |
SVL approx 6-9.5 cm |
Formerly considered a subspecies of B. gracilis. Description: form rather slender. Scalation details: postnasal long, usually in contact with the 2nd supralabial; usually 24-28 scale rows around the middle of the body and 64-68 scale rows along the middorsal line between the parietals and the base of the tail. Coloration: dorsolateral light stripe not present; lower lateral surfaces and generally venter dark spotted. (In freshly preserved material): dorsum and the upper lateral surfaces vary from light to dark brown, forming a pattern of dark and light, narrow, longitudinal stripes or nearly uniform; lower lateral surfaces vary from near pinkish-tan to “blush” [as defined in “Dictionary of Color” by Maerz and Paul, 1930] or darker, frequently with scattered to numerous small brown spots. [SOURCE: Brown 1956] |
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Western Mindanao Slender Skink |
Philippines (W Mindanao) |
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Three-fingered Short-Legged Skink |
Philippines (inc. Negros and Panay) |
SVL approx 7-8 cm |
Description: moderately-sized, slender; head not or scarcely wider than the body, tapering anteriorly to a narrow, truncate margin of contact with the frontonasal; limbs short, possessing three reduced, clawed digits on both the fore and hind limbs; no external evidence of ear. Scalation details: scale rows 22-24; scale rows along the middorsal line between the parietals and the base of the tail 93-103. nostril in a minute nasal; supranasals not in contact in the midline for any of the present series; prefrontals moderate, rather widely separated; frontal large; supranasals, prefrontals and frontoparietals not in contact; no postnasal; 2 frenals, nearly equal, or the anterior slightly shorter and wider; 4 supraoculars, anterior two in contact with the frontal; 5 superciliaries; frontoparietals narrowly or moderately separated in the midline; interparietal large, rather pointed posteriorly; parietals meeting posterior to the interparietal; usually 1 pair of nuchals; 1st upper labial largest, 4th beneath the orbit. Coloration (freshly preserved material): dorsal and lateral surfaces are nearly chocolate brown to dark slate brown; the venter is somewhat lighter in shade. Actually the basal part and centre of each scale is pigmented, the overlapping lateral and distal edges are not. [SOURCE: Brown 1956, Brown & Rabor 1967] |
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Tungao’s slender skink |
Philippines (Masbate) |
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Taylor's Short-Legged Skink |
Philippines (Jolo, Bubuan and Sulu Islands, in Sulu Archipelago) |
SVL approx 6.5-7.5 cm |
Description: habitus very slender; limbs absent; no ear opening. Scalation details: no postnasal; 2 supraciliaries; 22-24 scale rows around the middle of the body; 104-109 scale rows along the middorsal line between the parietals and the base of the tail. [SOURCE: Brown 1956, Brown & Alcala 1995] |
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Jens’ Slender Skink |
Philippines (Jolo) |
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Camiguin Sur Slender Skink |
Philippines (Camiguin Sur Island N of Mindanao) |
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Wright's Short-legged Skink |
Philippines (Luzon) |
SVL 18 cm |
Description: form slender; limbs greatly reduced with 4 clawed toes on both fore and hind limbs; ear opening questionable because of injury; Scalation details: no postnasal; 28 scale rows around the middle of the body; 102 scale rows along the middorsal line between the parietals and the base of the tail. [SOURCE: Brown 1956] |
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“Brachymeles, a genus of Philippine lizards”, Edward H Taylor, The Philippine Journal of Science, September 1917, Vol XII, no. 5.
“A new species of Brachymeles (Reptilia: Scincidae) from Catanduanes Island, Philippines”, Walter C Brown and Ely L Alcala, Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 108(2): 392-394, 1995.
“Review of the genus Brachymeles (Scincidae), with descriptions of new species and subspecies”, Walter C. Brown and Discoro S. Rabor, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, Fourth series, Vol. XXXIV, No. 15, May 9 1967.