Added 7 February 2005. Last updated 3 April 2015: updated Introduction, C. boutonii subspecies, C. novocaledonicus, C. poecilopleurus and C. rutilus and Bibliography.
Originally this was a small genus of a couple of species, of which C. boutonii was the most significant as it comprised about 30 subspecies. Over time most of these have been raised to species level, but nevertheless this means that most Cryptoblepharus species are fairly similar to one another.
The range of the genus is interesting, being centred on the Indian ocean but bypassing Asia and instead being found in East and South Africa, the Indian ocean islands, Indonesia, the Pacific islands and Australia. One subspecies of C. boutonii does however reach Japan. SHDA suggest that the tolerance to salinity of C. boutonii allowed it to raft across the oceans. Most are found near coastlines, but the Australian species are mainly arboreal with a couple of coastal species: two are mainly rock-dwellers.
Cogger gives the characteristics of the genus as follows: fused immovable lower eyelid forming spectacle over the eye; upper eyelid with 3-4 scales much larger than the granules surrounding the remainder of the eye; frontal shield more or less equal in size to each of the large prefrontals; frontoparietal and interparietals fused to form a single large shield; parietal shields in contact behind the interparietal shield; ear opening more or less equal in size to the nasal scale; all limbs pentadactyle. In this genus, the limbs are well-developed and there is no trend towards limb reduction.
Covacevich and Tanner also noted that there were a number of skinks including C. fuhni and C. litoralis that live in bare boulder habitat in Queensland, these skinks being characterised by (among other things) a high number of midbody scales, large size, black or near-black coloration, often with whitish dashes or flecks, prominent eyes, and agility and fast movement. They were noted to emerge from crevices and caverns only when ambient temperatures were high (normally 9-10am) and to thermoregulate on exposed basking sites, foraging in sunlight until temperatures became too high towards noon, when they would cease basking and might continue foraging in shaded areas. During the hottest part of the day they would then be inactive and sheltering until usually making a brief further search food in the late afternoon.
As far as captive species are concerned, I have not seen any for sale in the UK. These seem to be fairly hardy individuals: on the other hand any species largely dependent on small marine organisms, such as the amphipods or polychaete worms which C. litoralis feeds on, would probably be more difficult to cater for adequately and might be best avoided. Henkel and Schmidt suggest that how far the saline environment affects these species is still largely unknown. If anybody has had any experience with these animals I would be very interested to hear about it.
This is an ongoing page as it will take some time to gather up data on the various species scattered across such a wide area.
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QUICK INDEX |
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C. caudatus, Shiny-Palmed Shinning Skink |
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C. egeriae, Blue-Tailed Shinning Skink |
C. eximius, Pygmy Snake-Eyed Skin |
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C. fuhni, Black-Boulder Shinning Skink |
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C. litoralis, Supralittoral Shinning Skink |
C. megastictus, Blotched Shinning Skink |
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C. plagiocephalus, Callose-Palmed Shinning Skink |
C. poecilopleurus, Mottled Shinning Skink |
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C. virgatus, Cream-Striped Shinning Skink, Wall Skink |
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Scientific Name |
Common Name |
Distribution |
Size |
Notes |
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Cryptoblepharus |
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Indian Ocean (Aldabra Island, Picard, Astove, Assumption and Menai) |
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??. |
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Comoro Islands |
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??. |
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Indonesia (Bali, poss. introduced to other parts of the country) |
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Formerly considered a subspecies of C. boutonii. |
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Mozambique (Europe Island) |
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Formerly considered a subspecies of C. boutonii. |
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Coral Rag Skink |
RSA, Mozambique, northwards to Kenya, Tanzania and Somalia, Madagascar, Comoro Islands, poss. Seychelles, Indonesia (Timor), Japan, Oceania and Micronesia (inc. Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, Bismarck Archipelago, Marianas, Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu, Pitcairns and Hawaii), Peru (islands off coast) and Chile |
15cm/6", of which 50% SVL |
A widespread species that occurs in high densities in at least the East African part of its range. It is found in coastal areas in East Africa and on many islands and islets. In these areas it lives on old coral formations above the waterline where it hunts insects, small crustaceans and sometimes small fish. It is salt-tolerant and not afraid to jump into the water and swim if an escape route is otherwise blocked. As an example of its high population density, SHDA cite a 15m diameter coral outcrop in the bay at Watamu, where several hundred individuals were found. The species has also colonised the walls on the Slipway in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. Scalation details: scales smooth and close-fitting in 26-29 rows at midbody. Other: head distinct: tail cylindrical and tapers to a point. Coloration: dorsally blackish-bronze with 2 speckled gold dorsolateral stripes; ventrally paler. Reproduction: 1-2 eggs are laid in a crevice in coral above the high water mark. |
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C. b. boutonii |
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??. |
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C. b. africanus |
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Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Pemba Island, Mafia Island, south to Zululand |
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Gans, Laurent and Pandit collected this species from eroded coastal rocks in Somalia immediately above high tide level. They noted that it was extraordinarily active during the day, even in cool weather. The South African species are limited to a single colony of about 200-300 individuals [Branch]. Coloration: dark metallic brown with two indistinct lighter dorsolateral stripes. |
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C. b. ahli |
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Moçambique Island |
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??. |
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C. b. cognatus |
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N Madagascar (inc. Nosy Bé) |
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Scalation details: 3 labials anterior to subocular: 22 scale rows at midbody. Coloration: dark brown; light brown dorsolateral stripes [SOURCE: Glaw & Vences]. |
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C. b. mayottensis |
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Comores Islands |
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C. b. nigropunctatus |
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Japan |
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C. b. quinquetaeniatus |
Five-Lined Snake-Eyed Skink |
Comoro Islands |
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Scalation details: 4 anterior labials: 22 scales at midbody. Coloration: dorsally black; 5 narrow light longitudinal lines; limbs light-dotted. [SOURCE: Boulenger] |
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C. b. schlegelianus |
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Indonesia (Timor) |
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C. b. voeltzkowi |
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W Madagascar |
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Coloration: lighter brown than C. b. cognatus; beige dorsolateral stripes [SOURCE: Glaw & Vences]. |
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Indonesia (inc. Komodo and Flores) |
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Formerly considered a subspecies of C. boutonii. |
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Shiny-Palmed Shinning Skink |
Australia (except Tasmania) |
4cm SVL |
Found in a wide range of habitats across most of Australia except for the arid interior, including coastal dunes, rocky shores, dry sclerophyll forest and woodlands, mallee and various scrubs. It is semi-arboreal, mostly seen on tree trunks and shrubs but also among rocks on stony hills and screes. Wilson and Swann reckon that the group contains several as yet undefined species. Scalation details: nasals separated; prefrontals in contact; 4 supraoculars, of which 2nd is largest; usually 5 supraciliaries, of which 2nd is largest; 7-8 (usually 7) supralabials. Dorsal scalation: 22-28 dorsal rows at midbody. Other: 14-22 finely keeled subdigital lamellae under 4th toe. Coloration: dorsal grey-brown, usually with a paler ragged edge dorsolateral stripe or indications thereof running from eye to tailbase; darker flecks and squarish blotches form a vague checkerboard pattern; upper surfaces of limbs similar; lower surfaces (including hands and feet) whitish. |
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Mozambique (Juan de Nova Island) |
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Formerly considered a subspecies of C. boutonii. |
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Indonesia (inc. Bali and Lombok) |
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Formerly considered a subspecies of C. boutonii. |
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Comoro Islands (Anjouan) |
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Formerly considered a subspecies of C. boutonii. |
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Blue-Tailed Shinning Skink |
Australia (Christmas Island) |
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Formerly considered a subspecies of C. boutonii. |
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Pygmy Snake-Eyed Skink |
Fiji Islands (inc. Vitu Levu, Vanua Levu, Ovalau, Kadavu, Yadua Taba, Moala group and islands in the northern and southern Lau groups) |
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Formerly considered a subspecies of C. boutonii, and like that species a coastal dweller, being found on rock faces and beach rubble and in shrubs immediately beyond the high tide mark. Scalation details: scales smooth and close-fitting in 21-27 rows at midbody. Other: 16-24 subdigital lamellae on 4th toehead distinct: tail cylindrical and tapers to a point. Coloration: dorsally greyish bronze to brown or black; wide copper-coloured dorsal stripe on head, becoming dark grey on neck, and bordered by four alternating black and silvery stripes; silvery beige lateral stripes; dorsolateral silver stripe from eye to midbody; ventrally greyish olive. Original tail mottled grey, regenerated tail tan. Reproduction: usually a single ellipsoidal egg laid: no information available on nests [SOURCE: Morrison]. |
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Black-Boulder Shinning Skink |
Australia (Queensland) |
4½cm SVL |
A rare species found only among exposed black boulders of the Melville Range, Cape Melville, in the eastern Yorke Peninsula. Scalation details: nasals separated; prefrontals large, in contact, contacting frontonasal, anterior and posterior loreals, 1st supraciliary, 1st supraocular and frontal; anterior and posterior loreals large, subequal; 4 supraoculars, of which 2nd is largest; frontal usually contacts fused interparietal-frontoparietals, but sometimes 2nd supraocular may form short suture in midline; 5 supraciliaries, of which 1st is largest; 3 enlarged upper ciliaries form hood over top of palpebnral disc; 7 (usually 7) supralabials, of which 5th is subocular; 6 infralabials. Dorsal scalation: 23-26 dorsal rows at midbody. Other: 22-26 finely keeled subdigital lamellae under 4th toe; 8 preanal scales, of which central pair is enlarged; long limbs [Covacevich & Ingram 1978]; palmar tubercles black and rounded. Coloration: dorsally blackish with pale brownish-white flecks and spots on the head; numerous pale spots and dashes on body and tail that tend to form transverse bands; dorsal pattern of pale spots and dashes aligned longitudinally, but lacks pale dorsolateral stripe of some other Australian species, however dorsolateral series of white dots and dashes is sometimes present in adults and especially juveniles, and Covacevich and Tanner described these as sometimes joining to form lines in the smaller specimens; top of head is copper brown, blotched with black; ventral surfaces cream except for lower surfaces of hands and feet, which are black; dorsal and lateral surfaces of legs and toes black with crossing barrings of white dots. |
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Glorioso Island |
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Formerly considered a subspecies of C. boutonii and considered by some authorities to be synonymous with C. b. mayottensis. |
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Indonesia (inc. Ambon and Ceram) |
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Formerly considered a subspecies of C. boutonii. |
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Indonesia (inc. Flores and Timor) |
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Formerly considered a subspecies of C. boutonii. |
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Supralittoral Shinning Skink |
Australia (Northern Territory and Queensland) |
5½cm SVL |
Formerly considered a subspecies of C. boutonii. A coastal species found in ground litter and herbage around beach dunes, in mangroves and among crevices and boulders of rocky foreshores. It usually forages for amphipods and other small marine animals, including polychaete worms, in the intertidal zone at low tide, but also on exposed coastal rocks and will eat terrestrial invertebrates. Scalation details: nasals separated; prefrontals in contact; 4 supraoculars, of which 2nd is largest; usually 5 superciliaries; 8 supralabials. Dorsal scalation: 22-28 dorsal rows at midbody. Other: 17-24 finely keeled subdigital lamellae under 4th toe. Coloration: dorsally dark grey-brown to greenish-black, usually with a ragged edge pale dorsolateral stripe running from eye to tailbase that is usually narrowly edged with black on the head and neck; middorsal region has numerous scattered pale grey-green or whitish flecks and spots: dark upper lateral zone with scattered paler flecks; ventral surfaces metallic whitish-grey except for lower surfaces of hands and feet, which are black. |
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Blotched Shinning Skink |
Australia (Northern Territory, Western Australia) |
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Found on stony hills, plateaux and escarpments, where it lives among crevices, in caves or under rocks and boulders. By day it basks on exposed rocky areas, especially if deep litter or spinifex cover are nearby. Most of the populations are isolated, and Swan and Wilson consider that these are probably several different species. Scalation details: nasals separated; prefrontals in contact; 4 supraoculars, of which 2nd is largest; 4-6 superciliaries, of which 1st or 2nd is largest; usually 7 supralabials. Dorsal scalation: 24-28 dorsal rows at midbody. Other: 17-20 finely keeled subdigital lamellae under 4th toe. Coloration: dorsally rich metallic/copper brown with a paterrn of dark brown and cream-white flecks or spots; rarely any noticeable paler dorsolateral stripe or darker upper lateral zone, but rather flanks and limbs similar to dorsum; ventral surfaces whitish except for lower surfaces of hands and feet, which are pale. |
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Comoro Islands (Miremani and Moheli) |
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Formerly considered a subspecies of C. boutonii. |
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New Guinea |
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Formerly considered two subspecies of C. boutonii, C. b. aruensis and C. b. peronii: see Reptile Database listing for details. |
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New Caledonian Shore Skink |
New Caledonia inc. Isle of Pines, Loyalty Islands, poss. New Hebrides |
Max SVL 4¼cm: TL approx 10cm |
Found on northern and southern coasts of New Caledonia, all three of the Loyalty Islands and many other small islands within the area: considered common within its range. Habitat very similar to congenerics, ie rocky areas in coastal areas. Scalation details: 22-26 scale rows at midbody: 52-62 paravertebral rows. Coloration: dorsally light- to mid-brown with concentration of darker markings along outer dorsal surface; upper sides dark brown to black, becoming lighter towards the ventral areas, marked with numerous pale spots which tend to give the impression of an anterior pale midlateral stripe; ventrally white. Some lighter or darker individuals occur. Reproduction: 1-2 eggs. |
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Papua New Guinea |
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Callose-Palmed Shinning Skink |
Australia (Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia, Queensland, poss. NSW and Victoria) |
4½cm SVL |
Found in a variety of habitats, including tropical woodlands, eucalyptus forests, temperate woodlands, mallee and arid eucalyptus and Acacia shrublands. It is mainly arboreal and shelters under bark or in the crevice of a tree when not active: also known to inhabit rocks and buildings. Scalation details: nasals separated; prefrontals in contact; 4 supraoculars, of which 2nd is largest; usually 6 (sometimes 5) superciliaries, of which the 3rd is usually the largest; 7 (sometimes 8) supralabials. Dorsal scalation: 22-30 dorsal rows at midbody. Other: 14-22 smooth or callose subdigital lamellae under 4th toe. Coloration: dorsally brownish or greyish, usually with some ragged edge pale dorsolateral stripe or zone, usually bordered above by an irregular series of dark spots and blotches which sometimes form a ragged dark stripe; mid-dorsal region and limbs are patterned with white and dark brown; dark upper lateral zone with scattered paler and darker markings;; ventral surfaces white or pale metallic except for lower surfaces of hands and feet, which are brownish. |
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C. p. plagiocephalus |
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C. p. ruber |
W Australia (W Kimberleys) |
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Mottled Snake-Eyed Skink |
W Samoa, French Polynesia, New Britain, New Ireland, Solomon Islands, Gilbert Islands, Hawaii, Easter Islands, Society Islands |
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Scalation details: 4 labials anterior to the subocular; 26-28 (usually 28) scales around body. Coloration: dorsally brown or olive, spotted or marbled with black; more or less well-defined light lateral band; limbs and sides with light dots. [SOURCE: Boulenger] |
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C. p. poecilopleurus |
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C. p. paschalis |
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According to the Reptile Database entry, this is an endemic of Easter Island. |
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Indonesia (inc. Komodo and prob. Flores) |
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Palau Islands |
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As for C. plagiocephalus, but differs in having 20 scales around body. [SOURCE: Boulenger] |
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Indonesia (Sumbawa) |
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Cream-Striped Shinning Skink, Wall Skink |
Indonesia (inc. Irian Jaya and poss. Java), Australia (not Northern Territory or Tasmania) |
4cm SVL |
Found in a variety of habitats, including wet and dry sclerophyll forests, heathlands and woodlands. It is mainly arboreal and shelters under bark or in the crevice of a tree when not active: also known to inhabit rocks and buildings and other man-made structures. Scalation details: nasals separated; prefrontals in contact; 4 supraoculars, of which 2nd is largest; 5 superciliaries, of which the 2nd is usually the largest; 7 supralabials. Dorsal scalation: 20-28 dorsal rows at midbody. Other: 16-22 smooth or callose subdigital lamellae under 4th toe. Coloration: dorsally silver-grey to pale brown, white, cream or silver dorsolateral stripe runs from eye to base of tail, bordered above by a black stripe and below by a wide dark grey or brown dorsolateral area that pales ventrally, this area running from the nostril and containing numerous pale dots and spots; ventral surfaces white or pale metallic blue, except for lower surfaces of hands and feet, which are whitish. |
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C. v. virgatus |
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C. v. clarus |
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Known to occupy heaths and rock outcrops, coastal and near coastal woodlands. Coloration: somewhat paler than nominal subspecies. |
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Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, Harold Cogger, 6th edition.
Field Guide to the Reptiles of East Africa by Stephen Spawls, Kim Howell, Robert Drewes and James Ashe.
Notes on a herpetological collection from the Somali Republic, Carl Gans, Raymond F Laurent and Hemchandra Pandit, Royal Museum of Central Africa, Terveuven, Belgium 1965.
A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Steve Wilson and Gerry Swan, Reed New Holland, Sydney, 2003. Somewhat less detailed than Cogger but still covers the most useful identifying characteristics of the genera and species, and certainly more portable!
A Field Guide to the Herpetofauna of Fiji, Clare Morrison, Institute of Applied Sciences, the University of the South Pacific, 2003. Handy portable guide, does what it says: useful distribution details for the different islands as opposed to just "Fiji".
"An undescribed species of rock dwelling Cryptoblepharus (Lacertilia: Scincidae)", J Covacevich and G J Ingram, Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 18(2), 1978. Describes C. fuhni and compares it with its nearest relatives C. virgatus and C. litoralis.
Kingsnake.com have a useful listing of Australian Skinks, including some common names which are not found in some books.
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