Added 2 March 2008. Last updated 26 April 2015: added E. loyaltiensis and updated E. cyanura and Bibliography.

The Scincidae

Emoia



Genus Emoia: Mangrove Skinks

The genus Emoia is widespread across the Pacific area, from SE Asia to Australia, Micronesia and Oceania. The key to the success of these skinks in their colonisation of many islands may be their tolerance to saline conditions, as many of them are found within intertidal zones.

Other common characteristics of the genus are: snout pointed and wedge-shaped; ear opening represented by a depression; moveable lower eyelid; sharp recurved teeth; scales smooth and glossy. Greer and Parker described alpha and beta configurations of the palate in the genus, but I do not have details of the papers available as yet.

These attractive lizards are rarely seen in herpetology collections, but on the other hand it would be harder to replicate the estuary or mangrove swamp environments in which many of the genus thrive. It may be telling that fewer Emoia species are found further inland on continental masses.

At least one species (E. trossula) exhibits Sceloporus-like behaviour in darting around the opposite side of a coconut palm trunk to evade a perceived threat.

Owing to the size and scattered nature of the genus, this page will be gradually completed over time.

 

QUICK INDEX

 

E. adspersa, Steindachner's Emoia

E. aenea, Bronze Emoia

E. ahli, Ahl's Emoia 

E. aneityumensis, Medway's Emoia

E. arnoensis, Arno Skink

E. atrocostata, Grey Swamp Skink

E. aurulenta, Brown's Emoia

E. battersbyi, Battersby's Emoia

E. bismarckensis, Bismarck Emoia

E. boettgeri, Boettger's Skink

E. bogerti, Bogert's Emoia

E. brongersmai, Brongersma's Emoia

E. caeruleocauda, Pacific Blue-Tailed Skink

E. callisticta

E. campbelli, Montane Tree Skink

E. coggeri, Cogger's Emoia

E. concolor, Fijian Green Tree Skink

E. cyanogaster, Blue-Bellied Skink

E. cyanura, Brown-Tailed Copper-Striped Skink

E. cyclops, Cyclops Emoia

E. digul, Digul Emoia

E. erronan, Common Emoia

E. flavigularis, Yellow-Throated Emoia

E. guttata, Allison's Emoia

E. impar, Blue-Tailed Copper-Striped Skink

E. irianensis, Irian Emoia

E. isolata

E. jakati, Jakoti Skink

E. jamur, Jamur Emoia

E. kitcheneri

E. klossi, Kloss's Emoia

E. kordoana, Meyer's Emoia

E. kuekenthali

E. laobaoense, Bourret's Emoia

E. lawesi, Gunther's Emoia

E. longicauda, Shrub Whiptail Skink

E. loveridgei, Loveridge's Emoia

E. loyaltiensis, Loyalty Islands Emoia

E. maculata

E. maxima, Great Emoia

E. mivarti

E. mokosariniveikau, Fiji Forest Skink

E. montana, Mountain Emoia

E. nativitatis, Forest Skink, Christmas Island Whiptail

E. nigra, Pacific Black Skink

E. nigromarginata, Black-Bordered Emoia

E. obscura, Obscure Emoia

E. oribata

E. pallidiceps, DeVis's Emoia

E. paniai

E. parkeri, Fijian Copper-Headed Skink

E. physicae

E. physicina, Five-Toed Emoia

E. ponapea, Pohnpei Island Skink

E. popei, Pope's Emoia

E. pseudocyanura, False Blue-Tailed Emoia

E. pseudopallidiceps, Arboreal Emoia

E. reimschisseli

E. rennellensis

E. ruficauda, Red-Tailed Swamp Skink

E. rufilabialis, Red-Lipped Emoia

E. samoensis

E. sanfordi

E. schmidti

E. similis

E. slevini

E. sorex

E. submetallica

E. taumakoensis

E. tetrataenia

E. tongana

E. tropidolepis

E. trossula, Barred Tree Skink

E. veracunda

 

Scientific Name

Common Name

Distribution

Size

Notes

Emoia

E. adspersa

Steindachner's Emoia, Micronesian Skink

Samoa, Tokelau, Tuvalu; Cook Islands (Pukapuka); Fiji?

SVL approx 6½-8½cm

Not listed for Fiji by Morrison. See the entry in the Cook Islands Biodiversity Database. Described by Schwaner as a medium-sized diurnal skink. Reproduction: males probably sexually active at a size of 6-7cm, females sexually mature at a length of about 7cm [Schwaner]. B I

E. aenea

Bronze Emoia

Indonesia (S Irian Jaya), Papua New Guinea (Western)

5¼-7cm SVL

Specimens found by Parker were from primary forest in high rainfall areas, all at low elevation. Scalation details: rostral broader than high, forming long suture with frontonasal; supranasals narrow, elongate, in contact with anterior loreal; prefrontals moderately to widely separated; frontal longer than broad, in contact with 1st and 2nd supraoculars; 4 large supraoculars; 7-8 supraciliaries; parietals large, in contact posteriorly; 1 pair of nuchals; anterior loreal higher and shorter than posterior, in contact with 1st and 2nd, 2nd or 2nd and 3rd supralabials; 6-8 supralabials, 6th (occasionally 5th) enlarged and beneath eye; 7-8 infralabials. Dorsal amd midbody scalation: 31-36 midbody rows; dorsal scalation smooth, paravertebral rows not or scarcely enlarged; 45-54 transverse rows between parietals and base of tail; ventrals about same size as dorsals; preanals not or slightly enlarged. Other: 39-46 smooth rounded subdigital lamellae on 4th toe; 10-14 under 1st toe; snout blunt; eye large. Coloration (in life): head and neck bronzy, venter white; occasionally patch of pink or orange anterior to vent; dorsal scalation iridiscent. Coloration (in preservative): dorsal overall colour from tan to greyish-brown or light brown; may be nearly uniform or with longitudinal row of dark brown blotches or sometimes dark brown narrow marginal lines on scale rows lying laterally to the paravertebral rows; top of head relatively uniform, except sometimes margins of scales; dorsolateral narrow dark band, 1-2 or 3-4 scale rows in width, narrowing on neck and head and scarcely distinct on the snout, sometimes bordered by scattered pale scales along dorsal edge and with numerous pale scales on lower lateral surfaces, but band itself unmarked; dusky coloration on upper parts of supralabials, some dark marks on infralabials; venter immaculate whitish ivory; small scattered blackish or greyish spots ventrally on tail. Reproduction: no details available. [SOURCE: Brown and Parker] B I

E. ahli

Ahl's Emoia 

New Guinea

 

B I

E. aneityumensis

Medway's Emoia

Vanuatu 

 

B I

E. arnoensis

Arno Skink

Marshall Islands, Caroline Islands (Kosrae) and Nauru

 

 B I

E. a. arnoensis

 

  B I

E. a. naura

 

 B I

E. atrocostata

Grey Swamp Skink

Taiwan, Philippines, New Ireland, Palau, Vanuatu

SVL 8-10cm

 

 

 

In the Philippines, usually seen in mangrove areas within the intertidal zone: Cogger also lists it as a common mangrove species in its Australian range. It inhabits rock crevices and tree holes. Diet is crabs, shrimps and fish found on the ground. Scalation details: supranasals widely separated; prefrontals in contact or narrowly separated; interparietal long and narrow. Dorsal scalation: 36-40 rows at midbody; 63-75 transverse rows between parietals and base of tail. Other: 31-42 subdigital lamellae on 4th toe: ear opening moderate; tympanum sunk; limbs well developed. Coloration: dorsally grey with many black spots; dorsolaterally brownish, usually with some lighter scales in a narrow, irregular transverse line. Throat and neck grey; belly and breast flesh-coloured. Tail grey all round. Reproduction: takes place all year round. Female lays clutch of 2 eggs in ground humus or on mangrove trees above tidal levels [SOURCE: Alcala]. B I

E. a. atrocostata

Micronesia, Bismarck Archipelago, New Guinea, islands in Torres Strait, Indomalaysian archipelago, Christmas Island, Philippines, Taiwan, Japan (Ryukyu Archipelago)

E. a. australis

Australia (Cape York Peninsula)

E. a. freycineti

Solomon Islands, Vanuatu

E. aurulenta

 

Papua New Guinea (West Province)

Max SVL 3½  -5cm

Known from the Fly and Bamu River drainages. Scalation details: rostral broader than high, forming long suture with frontonasal; supranasals widely separated, narrowly triangular, in contact with anterior loreal; prefrontals moderately to widely separated; frontal longer than broad, in contact with 1st and 2nd supraoculars; 4 large supraoculars; parietals large, in contact posteriorly; 1 pair of nuchals; anterior loral higher and shorter than posterior, in contact with 2nd or 1st and 2nd supralabials; 6-7 supralabials, 5th (rarely 6th) enlarged and beneath eye; 6-7 infralabials. Dorsal amd midbody scalation: 26-32 (usually 28-30) midbody rows; dorsal scalation smooth, vertebral rows not distinctly enlarged; 45-52 transverse rows between parietals and base of tail; ventrals about same size as dorsals; preanals somewhat enlarged. Other: 39-48 smooth rounded subdigital lamellae on 4th toe; 10-14 under 1st toe; snout blunt; eye large. Coloration (in preservative): overall dorsally light olive greenish-brown to brown marked by lighter and darker blotches, usually including all dorsal scale rows except sometimes the paravertebral rows; dorsolaterally dark brown, bordered dorsally by row of scattered, single or clustered, pale scales; scattered pale scales on and between limbs; pale and dark blotches on neck; dark bars on posterior labials; venter dirty white to greyish, lightest on chin and in limb regions. Reproduction: no details available. [SOURCE: Brown and Parker]   B I

E. battersbyi

Battersby's Emoia 

New Guinea

 

  B I

E. bismarckensis

Bismarck Emoia?

Bismarck Islands (New Britain)

 

  B I

E. boettgeri

 

Caroline and Marshall Islands

 

  B I

E. bogerti

Bogert's Emoia

New Guinea 

 

  B I

E. brongersmai

 

New Guinea 

 

  B I

E. caeruleocauda

Pacific Blue-Tailed Skink

Fiji, New Guinea, Vanuatu 

 

  B I

E. callisticta

 

Indonesia (Irian Jaya)

 

  B I

E. campbelli

Montane Tree Skink

Fiji (Viti Levu) 

SVL 6½-9½cm

In Fiji, found primarily in ant plants in montane rainforest or cloud forest. Scalation details: 30-36 rows at midbody; 48-54 subdigital lamellae on 4th toe. Coloration: overall light grey to greyish-green; dark broken transverse bars alternate with yellowish blotches; head usually darker than body ventrally greenish-yellow to bright yellow [SOURCE: Morrison]. B I

E. coggeri

 

Papua New Guinea 

 

  B I

E. concolor

Fijian Green Tree Skink 

Fiji 

SVL 5½-8½cm, tail 1½-2x SVL

Found in wide variety of habitats including highland and lowland rain forest and human disturbed areas. Scalation details: 27-33 rows at midbody; 45-63 subdigital lamellae on 4th toe. Coloration: overall greenish to greenish copper; brown or black scattered spots, or light spots, may be present; head normally darker than body; midbody or base of tail tan; tail tan or copper; ventral area whitish to lime green. Reproduction: 1-4 eggs. [SOURCE: Morrison]  B I

E. cyanogaster

Blue-Bellied Skink

Papua New Guinea, Solomons, Vanuatu, Admiralty Islands, Santa 

 

  B I

E. cyanura

Brown-Tailed Copper-Striped Skink, Coastal Blue-Tailed Skink 

Pacific area inc. Loyalty Islands, Bismarck Islands, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Vanuata,Fiji and Polynesia

SVL 4-5½cm; max SVL approx 5½cm (Loyalty Islands)-6cm (elsewhere)

An abundant and widespread skink. On Fiji it is found on every island greater than 1 hectare in size, although on Viti Levu the prevalence of the mongoose restricts the lizard's distribution to areas of dense vegetation. Bauer & Sadlier note that it is one of several species occurring in the Loyalty Islands that have closer affinities with central Pacific species than with those on New Caledonia itself. Diet in Vanuatu includes insects, spiders, woodlice and earthworms [Bauer & Sadlier]. Scalation details: anterior loreal lower than or as high as its length; 28-34 rows at midbody. Other: subdigital lamellae in 57-82 rows on 4th toe. Coloration: dorsal longitudinal black and copper stripes, usually narrowly edged in black; ventrally ivory- to copper-tinted white; tail brown or copper in adults, turquoise in juveniles. Reproduction: clutch size normally 2 eggs; clutches normally laid in communal nests of 6-10 eggs. [SOURCE: Bauer & Sadlier, Morrison, Schwaner]. B I

E. cyclops

Cyclops Emoia

 

 

  B I

E. digul

Digul Emoia 

Indonesia (Irian Jaya) 

 

  B I

E. erronan

Common Emoia 

 

 

  B I

E. flavigularis

Yellow-Throated Emoia

 

 

  B I

E. guttata

Allison's Emoia 

 

 

  B I

E. impar

Blue-Tailed Copper-Striped Skink, Inland Blue-Tailed Skink  

Pacific area inc. Bismarck Islands, Solomons, Vanuata, Fiji and Micronesia, poss. also Hawaii 

SVL 4-4½cm

Similar in appearance, habitat and range to E. cyanura, from which it can be distinguished by the loreal scale (see below). On Fiji, found mainly in moderate-close canopied forest, but occasionally also at forest edges or in human disturbed habitat. Scalation details: anterior loreal higher than it is long; 26-33 rows at midbody. Other: subdigital lamellae in 57-82 rows on 4th toe. Coloration: dorsal longitudinal black and copper stripes, usually narrowly edged in black; ventrally dusky to grey, darkest on belly, thighs and base of tail; tail bluish in adults, turquoise in juveniles. Reproduction: clutch size presumed to be 2 eggs; clutches normally laid in communal nests of 6-10 eggs. [SOURCE: Morrison] B I

E. irianensis

Irian Emoia 

 

 

  B I

E. isolata

 

 

 

  B I

E. jakati

Jakoti Skink, Kopstein's Emoia

New Guinea, Palau

 

  B I

E. jamur

Jamur Emoia 

 

 

  B I

E. kitcheneri

 

 

 

  B I

E. klossi

Kloss's Emoia

New Guinea 

 

  B I

E. kordoana

Meyer's Emoia

Indonesia (Irian Jaya), Papua New Guinea (inc. Admiralty Islands and Bismarck Archipelago)

Max SVL 5-6cm

A smaller Emoia than those of the cyanogaster group [Brown]. Scalation details: prefrontals separate; supranasals narrow, triangular, posteriorly in contact with or narrowly separated from anterior loreal; anterior loreal almost as long or as long as posterior loreal, equally narrow; orbit touched by enlarged supralabial (usually 6th); interparietal absent. Dorsal rows: 24-28 at midbody, 52-56 transverse rows. Other: 65-82 subdigital lamellae on 4th toe. Coloration (in preservative): dorsum grey olive-green or greyish brown; adults generally have lateral edges of scales dark brown or with 2 or more rows of dark brown spots; narrow band of darker brown, generally broken and of varying intensity, along dorsolateral surfaces from region of eye to hind limb; ventrolateral surfaces bluish white to tan; venter same colour but lighter. Brown cites in life an adult as greenish-brown on the dorsum mottled with darker brown, light brown on the tail, laterally more greyish green with the irregular brownish dorsolateral stripe; and a juvenile as having a greenish-copper dorsum. [SOURCE: Brown 1954]  B I

E. kuekenthali

 

 

 

  B I

E. k. kuekenthali

 

 

 

  B I

E. k. notomoluccense

 

 

 

  B I

E. laobaoense

Bourret's Emoia

Vietnam 

 

  B I

E. lawesi

Gunther's Emoia 

Niue, Samoa, Tonga 

SVL 7½-10½cm 

A large member of the genus. On Samoa it forages among coral rubble in littoral forests. Reproduction: males are probably sexually active at 8½cm, females sexually mature at 8½-9cm. The normal egg clutch size is 2. Hatchling colour patterns resemble those of adults. [SOURCE: Schwaner]. B I

E. longicauda

Shrub Whiptail-Skink

Indonesia (Irian Jaya), Papua New Guinea ( inc. Bismarck Archipelago), Australia (Queensland)

8cm SVL

Formerly considered a subspecies of E. cyanogaster. Apparently less of a coastline dweller than other species: Cogger cites it as found usually in rainforest edges and clearings and especially in gardens in forest clearings. Scalation details: supranasals triangular with moderately broad bases against rostral, not in contact with anterior loreal; widely separated; 2 loreals of nearly equal length, very narrow; prefrontals in contact or narrowly separated; interparietal long and narrow. Dorsal scalation: 24-26 [Cogger] or 24-27 [Brown] rows at midbody. Other: 55-70 subdigital lamellae on 4th toe; those under basal phalanges very wide, short and smooth and sharply differentiated from those under distal phalanges. Coloration: dorsally grey with many black spots; dorsolaterally brownish, usually with some lighter scales in a narrow, irregular transverse line. Throat and neck grey; belly and breast flesh-coloured. Tail grey all round. Reproduction: takes place all year round. Female lays clutch of 2 eggs in ground humus or on mangrove trees above tidal levels [SOURCE: Cogger]. B I

E. loveridgei

Loveridge's Emoia

New Guinea 

 

  B I

E. loyaltiensis

Loyalty Islands Emoia

Loyalty Islands (Lifou and Mare) 

SVL 8¼ cm, TL approx. 22cm

Moderately large arboreal species, usually observed basking on sunlit trunks of trees [Bauer & Sadlier]. According to the latter this species is abundant in the interior of Loyalty Island forests. It is very wary. Scalation details: interparietal distinct, as long as broad; body scales small, smooth, in 28-34 rows at midbody; 60-71 paravertebral scale rows; 51-60 subdigital lamellae on 4th toe. Coloration: greyish-olive to light- or mid-brown above, with bronze in some individuals; uniform or with dark markings, latter either irregular transverse bars or dorsolateral blotches (latter most obvious in individuals from Lifou); ventral surfaces white with yellow flush to abdomen. Reproduction: 3-4 eggs laid. [SOURCE: Bauer & Sadlier: see also Australian Museum for more information.]  B I

E. maculata

 

 

 

  B I

E. maxima

Great Emoia

New Guinea 

 

  B I

E. mivarti

 

 

 

  B I

E. m. mivarti

 

 

 

  B I

E. m. obscurum

 

 

 

  B I

E. mokosariniveikau

Fiji Forest Skink

Fiji (Vanua Levu)

SVL 5½cm, TL 16½cm

As of 2003, known only from one individual found in lowland rainforest: however, Morrison noted the discovery of similar individuals in Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. Scalation details: 30 rows at midbody; 48-49 subdigital lamellae on 4th toe. Coloration: overall shiny copper brown, head bright copper; broad turquoise lateral bands extending up onto dorsum and onto ventrolateral area; ventrally light orangish yellow. [SOURCE: Morrison] B I

E. montana

Mountain Emoia

New Guinea 

 

  B I

E. nativitatis

Forest Skink, Christmas Island Whiptail

Indian Ocean (Christmas Island) 

SVL 7cm 

Found mainly in forested habitat where it forages in the litter. Scalation details: nostril surrounded by nasal; small supranasal and small postnasal; prefrontals developed, separated, often narrowly; 4 supraoculars. Dorsal scalation: scales smooth, in 32-36 rows at midbody. Other: subdigital lamellae under 4th toe 29-34, smooth. Coloration: bronze or chocoloate brown dorsally, with numerous darker- and lighter brown and cream scales; faint dorsolateral paler band; flanks generally darker than dorsum; ventrally rich cream or yellowish brown [SOURCE: Cogger]. B I

E. nigra

Pacific Black Skink

Solomons, Vanuata, Fiji (not Viti Levu or Vanua Levu), Tonga and Samoa 

SVL 4-12cm

Distinctive species because of uniform black coloration. In Fiji, extirpated from Viti Levu and Vanua Levu by mongoose predation. Found in wooded and forest areas; prefers dense vegetation or cover of logs and rocks. May also be found in pasture and other areas disturbed by humans. Strongly heliophilic (in Samoa, basks on tree trunks) and in Fiji not seen on overcast days. Scalation details: 32-40 rows at midbody. Other: subdigital lamellae in 31-39 rows on 4th toe. Coloration: dorsally overall black with no pattern; tail may lighten towards brown; ventrally dusky to dull golden brown; in males the chin and anterior chest area may be diffused with brown. Juveniles are dorsally dusky brown with light brown flecking, laterally dark brown to black, ventrally greyish-ivory. Schwaner notes that the hatchling pattern in 1 lab-raised specimen became indistinct from wild juveniles and adults by 3 weeks. Reproduction: clutch size normally 2-3 eggs; incubation time about 65 days. The eggs absorb water, and Schwaner recorded that in the laboratory those clutches which were not placed on moist soil or paper towelling failed to hatch. Clutches have been found on ferns, under rotting coconut stumps and in one case in rotten wood at the base of an abandoned termite gallery [SOURCE: Morrison, Schwaner]. B I

E. nigromarginata

Black-Bordered Emoia

Vanuatu 

 

  B I

E. obscura

Obscure Emoia 

New Guinea 

 

  B I

E. oribata

 

New Guinea 

 

  B I

E. pallidiceps

De Vis's Emoia 

New Guinea 

 

  B I

E. p. pallidiceps

 

 

 

  B I

E. p. mehelyi

 

 

 

  B I

E. paniai

 

 

 

  B I

E. parkeri

Fijian Copper-Headed Skink

Fiji 

SVL 4-5cm, TL 1½ x SVL

Usually found on tree trunks up to 20ft above ground in a variety of habitats including rainforest, secondary forest and recently logged forest. Dorsal scalation: 28-33 rows at midbody. Other: 31-41 subdigital lamellae on 4th toe: ear opening moderate; tympanum sunk; limbs well developed. Coloration: dorsally greenish copper, with dorsal and lateral pattern of dark brown scales; head and neck bright copper; posterior half of body copper olive or olive-brown; very dark brown eye stripe; ventrally bluish white with dark flecking; tail iridescent copper; ventrally light yellowish green with copper-ivory chin and throat and occasionally emerald green belly. Reproduction: no details available [SOURCE: Morrison].  B I

E. physicae

 

 

 

  B I

E. p. physicae

 

 

 

  B I

E. p. purari

 

 

 

  B I

E. physicina

Five-Toed Emoia 

S Papua New Guinea (Eastern Highlands, Gulf, Chimbu, Western)

SVL 4-5cm 

Found on rainforest floor in areas shaded by canopy, but basks in sunflecked areas. Scalation details: rostral wider than high, forming long, convex or truncate suture with frontonasal; prefrontals moderately to widely separated; frontal slightly longer than wide, in contact with two anterior supraoculars; 4 large supraoculars; frontoparietals fused with interparietal into one shield; parietals in contact; 1 pair of nuchals; anterior loreal shorter and slightly higher than posterior loreal, in contact with 1st or 1st and 2nd supralabials; 7-8 supralabials, of which 5th (very rarely 6th) is enlarged and beneath eye; 6-7 infralabials. Dorsal and midbody scalation: 30-38 scale rows at midbody; 45-53 (sometimes 54) transverse rows between parietals and base of tail. Other: 34-43 rounded subdigital lamellae on 4th toe, 8-10 on 1st toe; eye relatively large; ear moderate, usually with 2 anterior lobules; snout moderately tapered, broadly rounded at tip. Coloration (in life): dorsum greyish-brown to brown, usually with 2 rows of paravertebral dark spots; lateral surfaces blackish with scattered light ventrolateral spots; snout may be suffused with red on upper and lower surfaces. Coloration (in preservative): dorsum (6-8 scale rows) medium brown, nearly uniform or with rows or darker brown spots on the edge of the paravertebral rows; lateral surfaces (5-6 rows) usually much darker, nearly uniform or with scattered single or small groups of pale or whitish scales and often 1-2 light scales on neck; supralabials dusky on at least upper half, infralabials may have dusky blotches; venter greyish slate, more dusky tan or ivory in region of limbs. Reproduction: no details available. [SOURCE: Brown and Parker]   B I

E. ponapea

Pohnpei Island Skink

Ponape (Caroline Islands) 

SVL 2-5cm, TL 4 x SVL 

Kiester collected his specimens on the floor "of a mature forest area where sun flecks occurred" and reported that other Emoia species on the island were only found in more open forest near the coast. See also The Reptiles of Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia. Scalation details: rostral twice as long as deep; supranasals separated; prefrontals separated by frontonasal and frontal; 4 supraoculars; frontoparietals fused; interparietal single, distinct and large; 1 pair of parietals in contact behind interapreitals; 2 pairs of temporals, iwht only secondary temporals placed towards top of head; 9 supraciliaries; 2 loreals; 1 pair of nuchals; 6th supralabial subocular; nasal divided below nostril; postmental contacts first two infralabials on each side. Body scalation: scales smooth; 30-32 scales at midbody. Dorsal scalation: 52-60 middorsal rows. Other: typmanum sunk; ear with single larger anterior lobule, 1-2 smaller ones below; 38-46 subdigital lamellae on 4th toe; preanals not enlarged. Head narrow and somewhat depressed. Distinguished from all other Emoia species by having 13 maxillary teeth and a palate intermediate between alpha and beta conditions. Coloration: dorsally characterised by central tan stripe with irregular edges from snout to tip of tail; small number of black spots on striped area on head, sometimes also on stripe on back; poorly defined dorsolateral stripe from behind eye to one third of way down tail, formed by 2 irregular rows of black dashes on tan colour; laterally reddish brown, becoming spotted over cream colour towards venter; limbs reticulated brownish red over cream dorsally; chin, throat, vener and undersides of limbs all immaculate cream. Reproduction: eggs reported from rotted palm stump in forest; no other details available.[ SOURCE: Kiester] B I

E. popei

Pope's Emoia 

New Guinea 

 

  B I

E. pseudocyanura

False Blue-Tailed Emoia 

New Guinea 

 

  B I

E. pseudopallidiceps

Arboreal Emoia 

New Guinea 

 

  B I

E. reimschisseli

 

 

 

  B I

E. rennellensis

 

 

 

  B I

E. ruficauda

Red-Tailed Swamp Skink

Philippines (Mindanao)

SVL 4½-5½cm

 

 

 

Taylor (see Alcala) described this species as fairly common in grassy areas around lakes and streams within its range. However Alcala himself considered it rare. Scalation details: supranasals widely separated; prefrontals moderate, not in contact; interparietal small and short. Dorsal scalation: 26-29 rows at midbody; 49-54 transverse rows between parietals and base of tail. Other: 55-63 subdigital lamellae on 4th toe: ear opening moderate; tympanum sunk; limbs well developed. Coloration: dorsally and dorsolaterally black or deep blackish-brown with very narrow mid-dorsal (up to the rostral) and dorsolateral yellowish lines; light longitudinal ventrolateral stripe may also be present, or be merged with the lighter ventral coloration. Tail and limbs are reddish. Reproduction: takes place all year round. Female lays clutch of 2 eggs in ground humus or on mangrove trees above tidal levels [SOURCE: Alcala]. B I

E. rufilabialis

 

 

 

B I

E. samoensis

 

Western and American Samoa

SVL 6½-11½cm 

Found primarily on tree trunks and low vegetation where it basks and forages. Reproduction: breeding appears to take place throughout the year on Samoa. Females become fertile at a length of 8½-9½cm SVL [SOURCE: Schwaner]. B I

E. sanfordi

 

 

 

B I

E. schmidti

 

 

 

A moderately-sized Emoia [Brown]. Scalation details: prefrontals separate; supranasals narrow, triangular, posteriorly in contact with or narrowly separated from anterior loreal; anterior loreal almost as long or as long as posterior loreal, equally narrow; orbit touched by enlarged supralabial (usually 6th); interparietal consistently absent. Dorsal rows: 31-36 at midbody, 56-65 transverse rows. Other: 71-87 subdigital lamellae on 4th toe. Coloration (in preservative): dorsum grey olive-green or greyish brown; adults generally have lateral edges of scales dark brown or with 2 or more rows of dark brown spots; narrow band of darker brown, generally broken and of varying intensity, along dorsolateral surfaces from region of eye to hind limb; ventrolateral surfaces bluish white to tan; venter same colour but lighter. Brown cites in life an adult as greenish-brown on the dorsum mottled with darker brown, light brown on the tail, laterally more greyish green with the irregular brownish dorsolateral stripe; and a juvenile as having a greenish-copper dorsum. [SOURCE: Brown 1954] B I

E. similis

 

 

 

B I

E. slevini

 

 

 

B I

E. sorex

 

 

 

B I

E. submetallica

 

 

 

B I

E. taumakoensis

 

 

 

B I

E. tetrataenia

 

 

 

B I

E. tongana

 

 

 

B I

E. tropidolepis

 

 

 

B I

E. trossula

Barred Tree Skink

Fiji (poss. extinct on Viti Levu and Vanua Levu), Rarotonga 

SVL 7½-10½cm SVL, TL 1½-1¾ x SVL 

Found mainly in forest edge and open scrub forest as well as other forest, pastoral areas, coconut groves and gardens, up to 650m. Dorsal scalation: 30-40 rows at midbody. Other: 42-56 subdigital lamellae on 4th toe: ear opening moderate; tympanum sunk; limbs well developed. Coloration: dorsally greenish olive brown with irregular transverse bars and elongate white spots; ventrally bluish white with dark flecking. Reproduction: 2-3 eggs; gravid females found in April-May [SOURCE: Morrison]. B I

E. veracunda

 

 

 

B I

Bibliography

Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, Harold Cogger, 6th edition.

A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Steve Wilson and Gerry Swan, Reed New Holland, Sydney, 2003.

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".

Guide to Philippine Flora and Fauna. Volume X, Amphibians and Reptiles, Prof. Angel C Alcala, Natural Resources Management Centre, Ministry of Natural Resources and University of the Philippines, 1986. Very useful field guide to the herps of this area, which is usually under-represented in literature. One slight drawback is that the photographs are black-and-white and the descriptions of colour for many species are drawn from preserved specimens: otherwise this book is to be recommended if you can obtain a copy.

"Notes on several lizards of the genus Emoia, with descriptions of new species from the Solomon Islands", Walter C Brown, Fieldiana Zoology 34:25, February 11 1954. Includes descriptions of E. kordoana, E. maculara and E. schmidti.

"Reproductive Biology of lizards on the American Samoan Islands", Terry D Schwaner, Occasional Papers of the Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas, Number 86 pp 1-53, September 23 1980. Includes sections on E. adspersa, E. cyanura, E. lawesii and E. samoense.

"A new forest skink from Ponape", A Ross Kiester, Breviora 468, 30 June 1982. Describes E. ponapei.

"Three New Lizards of the genus Emoia (Scincidae) from southern New Guinea", Walter C Brown and Fred Park, Breviora 480, 21 June 1985.

The most comprehensive account of the genus that I am aware of (but have not read) is W C Brown's "Lizards of the genus Emoia (Scincidae) with observations on their evolution and biogeography", 1991, Memoirs of the California Academy of Sciences 15:1-94.

Links

The Cook Islands Biodiversity Database has very useful information on some of the Emoia species.

Kingsnake.com have a useful listing of Australian Skinks, including some common names which are not found in some books.


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